TODAY marks the start of Australia’s inaugural Whole Grain Week, run by the Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council which no doubt hopes this fibre-rich event becomes regular.

The idea is to spread the word about the importance of whole grain foods in our diet and encourage Australians to make simple swaps, for big health benefits.

The council’s nutrition expert Felicity Curtain says whole grain foods like brown rice, pasta, wholemeal bread and whole grain cereals are packed with nutrition and people who eat them regularly are less likely to develop heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even bowel cancer.

See how your favourite whole grain foods stack up

• Check out this new searchable whole grain database

Few Australians eat enough whole grains

• 59% of us choose refined grains
• We eat an average of 21g whole grain per day
• 48g the recommended daily target Intake

Up your grain game with five simple food swaps

• Try wholemeal/whole grain bread in place of white
• Look out for whole grain breakfast cereals, or warm up with porridge oats
• Swap your usual white rice for brown, black, even red rice
• Pasta, couscous, and noodles are all available in wholemeal varieties
• Try a new grain: quinoa, freekeh, buckwheat, amaranth, and teff

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