WASHINGTON — Reducing the amount of the recommended grain servings in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans could lead to nutrient deficiencies in specific age-sex groups, according to the scientific report from the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which was issued Dec. 10.

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends six 1-oz equivalent servings of grains per day with at least three servings being whole grains.

“During a previous DGAC meeting, the committee discussed lowering the grains recommendation,” said Campbell Genn, senior director of government relations for the American Bakers Association. “Ultimately, they concluded that grains are pivotal in reducing nutrient deficiencies such as fiber, folate, iron and magnesium. The December report maintains the current grains recommendation (6 oz per day within a 2,000-calorie diet).”

Evidence indicates consumers older than age 2 may reduce intake of total grains from current recommendations in the healthy US-style dietary pattern cited by the DGAC report without negative nutritional implications. The quantity by which total grains may be reduced, however, varies by age-sex group, making it a challenge to provide a single value applicable to every group. The DGAC report gave iron as an example. If total grains daily intake were reduced by a 1-oz equivalent, iron intake would decrease an additional 5% to 10% for children ages 4 to 8 and for women ages 14 to 50.

“Results suggest that a small reduction in total grains has minimal implications for most age-sex groups,” the DGAC report said. “The committee recognizes, however, that larger implications exist for age groups and life stages for whom the contribution of nutrients in enriched and/or fortified grain products is of particular public health importance, especially the peri-conceptional and early pregnancy stages.”

The DGAC’s findings echo the concerns that the Grain Foods Foundation (GFF) summarized and submitted to the committee during the committee’s deliberation, said Erin Ball, executive director of the GFF.

Erin Ball, executive director of the Grain Foods Foundation (GFF). | Source: Grain Foods Foundation

“Grain foods contribute meaningful amounts of key nutrients to Americans’ diets across all life stages, and their reduction and/or elimination could jeopardize public health,” she said. “Additionally, grain foods are staples in a variety of cultural foodways and advising against their consumption is detrimental to improved nutrition security and health equity.”

Ball added that the dietary patterns with limited amounts of carbohydrate-containing foods modeled by the DGAC also caused many nutrient deficiencies.

“Inadequacy was demonstrated for vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, choline, potassium and fiber,” she said. “Calcium, potassium and fiber are deemed to be nutrients of public health concern due to widespread underconsumption. Other nutrients (e.g., folate, iron) are of public health concern in vulnerable populations such as adolescent females, those who may become pregnant and older infants who are breastfed. In models with carbohydrate-containing foods excluded, intakes also fell below recommendations during pregnancy and lactation for several vitamins, including C, B6 and B12.”

The grains food group in Americans’ diets contributes about 50% to 60% of the total folate and total iron; about 40% to 50% of total carbohydrate, total fiber and total thiamin; and about 30% to 40% of the total niacin, total copper, total magnesium and total zinc across most age groups older than age 1, according to the healthy US-style dietary pattern.

Another challenge comes in refined grains, which are fortified with nutrients, including folate, at about twice the amount found in whole grains. Whole grain versions of grains such as rice, pasta and other cooked grains are not fortified.

Whole grains were among the food groups and subgroups that had intakes below the recommendation from the healthy US-style dietary pattern, but refined grains were among the groups at or above the recommendation. Currently, whole grains on average contribute 0.9-oz equivalent per day to total grain intake while refined grains contribute 5.7-oz equivalents, according to the DGAC report.

“Fiber is still a nutrient of concern,” said Joanne Slavin, PhD, a professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota and a member of the 2010 DGAC. “So whole grains will get a pull through for that. So that’s great. If you look at grains in general, they are the base of all the diets. There are a lot of good stories to tell about grains, too.”

The ABA’s Genn noted one change on whole grains in the DGAC report in that it recommended that grains consumed are “mostly whole grain” instead of “at least half whole grains.” The DGAC report also supported exploring fortification and enrichment of whole grains, Genn said.

The DGAC report addressed the possibility of increasing starchy vegetables intake by 1-oz equivalent per week while reducing total grain intake by 1-oz equivalent per week. The DGAC found negative implications for iron and folate, which often are in enriched and/or fortified grain foods. The DGAC also noted differences among age-sex groups in achieving nutrient adequacy.

The DGAC report also addressed increasing intake of beans, peas and lentils by 1-oz equivalent per week while simultaneously decreasing total grain intake by 1-oz equivalent per week, a move that would have positive implications for folate, iron, choline, potassium and fiber for consumers age 1 and older, according to the report.

The DGAC report is available at dietaryguidelines.gov. The US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture will receive public comments on the DGAC report for 60 days and will hold a public meeting on Jan. 16, 2025. The HHS and the USDA will consider the DGAC report while creating the next updated version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is updated every five years. The next version should be released late in 2025.

“It is beneficial to the American public that reductions in grain foods were not recommended,” Ball said. “The DGAC got it right, and if the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are developed based on scientific knowledge, no changes to current grain amounts in healthy dietary patterns or messaging will be included.

“However, it’s important to recognize that we live in a time of hyperbole, supposition and science by anecdote. It’s possible that the next DGA could be unduly influenced by low-carbohydrate zealotry and those who continue to confound staple refined carbohydrates, such as bread and bread products, rice, and pasta with indulgences such as sugar-sweetened beverages and desserts. This would be a disservice to the American public whose eating behaviors can be sadly influenced by misinformation.”

The ABA belongs to the Grain Chain, which has recommended that the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans not call for a reduction in grain servings.

“Led by the American Bakers Association, the Grain Chain has engaged with the DGAC since the beginning of the process,” Genn said. “ABA and the Grain Chain are reviewing the final report and intend to submit comments to ensure we continue amplifying the importance of grain foods in the diet."