Grains covers oats, rice (brown, white, jasmine, basmati, wild), pasta, bread, tortillas, cereals, and ancient grains (quinoa, farro, bulgur, millet). FoodScore evaluates both dry and cooked forms — cooked entries dilute nutrients with water and typically score a few points lower on a per-100g basis even though the underlying grain is identical.
The USDA DGA recommends at least half of all grain servings come from whole grains. Grains provide carbohydrates, fiber when intact, and useful amounts of iron, magnesium, and B vitamins (especially when enriched). They are a dietary staple in most cuisines but the gap between whole and refined grains is one of the largest quality differentials in the entire food supply.
Whole grains (oats, quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat bread) consistently clear 70/100 because of fiber and micronutrients. Refined grains (white rice, white bread, white pasta) stay in the 55-70 range — not bad, but noticeably lower. Sweetened cereals and bakery items fall further because of added sugar and NOVA 4 classification.
Score distribution
Top 20 grains
ranked by FoodScore (0–100)- 0185Multigrain BreadVery good
- 0285Quinoa DryVery good
- 0385QuinoaVery good
- 0485Rolled oats (dry)Very good
- 0585Shredded WheatVery good
- 0685Steel-cut oats (dry)Very good
- 0785Sushi Roll CaliforniaVery good
- 0885Wheat GermVery good
- 0985Whole Wheat FlourVery good
- 1083Brown SugarVery good
- 1183English Muffin Whole WheatVery good
- 1283Triscuit OriginalVery good
- 1382Wheat BranVery good
- 1480Tortilla Whole WheatVery good
- 1579Pita Bread Whole WheatVery good
- 1679Rye BreadVery good
- 1779SkinnyPop Popcorn OriginalVery good
- 1878Corn RawVery good
- 1978CornmealVery good
- 2077Oatmeal Instant Quaker OriginalVery good