RIDGWAY, COLO. — The central role of enriched grains as a micronutrient food source is presented in a new brochure created by the Grain Foods Foundation.

The four-page color brochure boldly offers what it calls "The Truth about grains."

The brochure offers a colorful pie chart demonstrating that of 18 key vitamins and minerals tracked by the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, grains are the principal source of eight. Vegetables ranked second as a leading source of nutrition, at four with no other food group (dairy, animal protein, fats and fruits) accounting for more than two.

A second graph shows the micronutrients for which grains are the principal source — thiamine (60% of intake contributed by grains), selenium (40%), riboflavin (40%), niacin (46%), magnesium (23%), iron (54%), folate (38%) and copper (23%).

In addition to offering other positives about grains and carbohydrates, the brochure looks to dispel myths about grains:

Myth: Carbohydrates cause weight gain and contribute to obesity.

Myth: Consumers should only eat whole grains.

Myth: Enriched grains do not contribute valuable nutrients to a healthful diet.

Judi Adams, president of the Grain Foods Foundation, said the brochure would be distributed next month at the American Dietetics Association convention. She also encouraged the group’s investors/members to use the brochure.

"Rarely a week goes by that someone in the media doesn’t bash white bread and pasta and other enriched grain foods," Ms. Adams said. "In an effort to help spread the word about the important role enriched grains play in the diet, we have developed a brochure for our investors to use."