A Good-for-You Food Hierarchy

Offering further evidence that Americans no longer regard carbohydrates as Dietary Enemy No. 1, whole grains have taken top honors in a Decision Analyst poll that asked adults to identify especially healthful foods. Sixty percent of respondents put whole grains in the pantheon of foods that provide “additional health benefits beyond basic nutritional needs.” Also high on the list were broccoli (58 percent), bananas (57 percent) and oatmeal (56 percent), as well as green tea, garlic and spinach (55 percent each).