Vitamins and phytochemicals in cereal grains

Cereal grains are good sources of several B vitamins and moderate sources of vitamin E. They are also of great interest as sources of various phenolics, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, and lignans, with antioxidative properties and several other possible bioactivities. Their distribution differs among cereal species. Avenanthramides, found in oat, are an example of phenolics specific for a certain cereal. Cereals are a major source of plant sterols and nonvitamin E-active tocols in our diet and contribute to the intake of carotenoids. The consumption of whole-grain products is encouraged to support the intake of both vitamins and other bioactive compounds. However, systematic, well-controlled studies are required to better understand the wide variation in the reported levels of different cereals and their milling products.