Whole grains can be found in foods such as pasta, cereals and breads. Look for the first ingredient to say whole grain wheat flour, whole grain oats, whole grain corn, etc.
Grains are the seeds of plants. Whole grain foods are made from the entire seed, which includes the bran (outer covering), kernel or endosperm (inner part that makes up the bulk of the seed) and the germ (part of the seed from which a new plant sprouts). The bran contains most of the seed’s fiber and the germ is concentrated with nutrients. Carbohydrate foods made from whole grains are generally more nutritious than non-whole grain carbs.
Are non-whole grains such as white bread, white rice and "enriched flour" bad for you?
No. Is is perfectly fine to eat these types of carbs in moderation. The key is to have a balance of whole grain and non-whole grain carbs as part of your overall diet. For example, if you have a plain bagel (non-whole grain) for breakfast, try to consume some whole grains later in the day such as a sandwich on whole wheat bread for lunch, or have a granola bar (with “whole grain oats” as the first ingredient) for a snack.
Nutritionists advise that half of your grains should be whole, so don’t have worry about having some non-whole grains in your diet.