Foods in this food group include breads, such as white bread and multi-grain bread; macaroni and other pasta; brown rice; and some low fat mueslis, biscuits and crackers. These foods fall into a range of eMark number and colour categories, so it is important to understand which foods are best suited to your personal needs.

Breads and cereals provide many important nutrients, including carbohydrates, protein, fibre, B vitamins and Vitamin E, as well as a range of minerals, including magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc and selenium. 

The primary role of carbohydrates is to supply the body’s cells with glucose, the basic unit of carbohydrates and an important energy source. Nearly all of the energy required by the brain to function each day is supplied by glucose from the diet. Carbohydrates also maintain blood glucose levels and have a role in gastrointestinal health.  The fibre in some bread and cereal products may also help to lower cholesterol levels and prevent constipation.

Protein is required in the body for building and repairing tissue, for making enzymes that assist with many of the chemical reactions in the body, and for the production of haemoglobin which carries oxygen in the blood.

B Vitamins such as Vitamin B1 (thiamin) and Vitamin B3 (niacin) help the body to use energy efficiently, while Vitamin E is an antioxidant which protects the body’s cells against damage. Minerals like calcium and magnesium are important for bone structure, muscle and nerve functioning; and zinc is responsible for growth and tissue repair in the body.

Foods in this group vary in energy density and therefore appropriate serving sizes, so the eMark system separates them into two sub-groups: breads and flour-based products (excluding pasta) and rice, pasta, cereals and grains.

Some examples of serving sizes (based on the energy density of the foods) are as follows.

Find the eMark value of your favourite breads and cereals

Find out how many servings of breads and cereals are in your recommended eMark meal plan