饮食均衡是保持健康生活方式的重要组成部分。营养专家建议，每天摄入的谷物至少50%应该来自全谷物(通过梅奥诊所)。它们所含的复合碳水化合物可能有助于降低你患心血管疾病、某些癌症和糖尿病的风险。虽然它们确实含有你身体功能所必需的关键维生素和矿物质，但一些吃全谷物饮食的人可能会错过一些重要的营养物质。
Whole grains are considered to be healthier than refined grains, their processed counterparts. They have more fiber, protein, and vitamins than refined grains (via Healthline). They also contain significant amounts of antioxidants and minerals. Refined grains have had some of the most nutritious parts of the grain removed in order to make them more shelf stable and easier to digest. Companies often add vitamins or minerals back into the food product to make them more nutritious, but most still don't compare to the unprocessed versions. That's because the parts that are removed, the germ and bran, contain almost all of the fiber and nutrients in the grain. White flour and white rice are some of the most common examples of refined grains. You can find them as ingredients in pasta, breads, and most cereals.
全谷物被认为比加工过的精制谷物更健康。他们比精制谷物含有更多的纤维、蛋白质和维生素。它们还含有大量的抗氧化剂和矿物质。精制谷物已经去除了谷物中一些最有营养的部分，以使它们更加稳定，更容易消化。食品公司经常在食品中添加维生素或矿物质，使它们更有营养，但大多数仍然不能与未加工的版本相比。这是因为被去除的部分，即胚芽和麸皮，包含了谷物中几乎所有的纤维和营养素。白面粉和白米是一些最常见的精制谷物的例子。你可以在意大利面、面包和大多数谷类食品中找到它们的成分。
One of the most important nutrients removed from whole grains when they're processed, is folate. A type of B vitamin, folate can be found in beans, nuts, dark leafy greens, and more (via Mayo Clinic). It's an essential ingredient in the formation of red blood cells, and cells need it to function properly. People who are planning to become pregnant are most in need of extra folate in order to prevent neural tube birth defects. While most adults only require about 400 micrograms of folate per day, people who may become pregnant should be consuming between 400 and 1,000 micrograms per day to help with fetal formation.
全谷物加工过程中最重要的营养素之一就是叶酸。叶酸是一种 b 族维生素，可以在豆类、坚果、深绿叶蔬菜等食物中找到(梅奥诊所)。它是形成红细胞的基本成分，细胞需要它来正常工作。计划怀孕的人最需要额外的叶酸来预防神经管出生缺陷。虽然大多数成年人每天只需要400微克的叶酸，但是怀孕的人应该每天摄入400到1000微克的叶酸来帮助胎儿的形成。
While most people can get the recommended amount of folate from a balanced diet, those who require higher amounts and tend to eat a whole grain diet should be sure to eat foods fortified with folic acid. Doctors also recommend taking folic acid supplements for prenatal care. And before you cut healthy whole grains like oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice out of your diet, remember that eating balanced meals and taking folic acid supplements should be plenty to keep levels of folic acid at a healthy level (via Cleveland Clinic).
虽然大多数人可以从均衡饮食中获得推荐量的叶酸，但那些需要更多叶酸且倾向于吃全谷物饮食的人应该确保吃富含叶酸的食物。医生还建议产前护理时服用叶酸补充剂。在你从你的饮食中剔除健康的全谷物，如燕麦片、全麦面食和糙米之前，请记住，要保持叶酸水平在健康水平上，记得均衡饮食和服用叶酸补充剂。
