Food Group Cereal Grains And Pasta

The majority of the cereal grains included in this group are cultivated grasses belonging to the Poaceae (alt. Gramineae) family and are thus true cereals. With the exception of corn (maize), which is native to the Americas, nearly all true cereal grains originated in Europe and Asia. Buckwheat is native to central Asia. Amaranth and quinoa are native to Central and South America, respectively.
Macaroni products, commonly referred to as pasta (used interchangeably in the document) are formed by extrusion of the pasta dough into a variety of shapes and sizes including elbows, spirals, shells, twists, wheels, etc. Specific shapes of macaroni products have unique names such as rigatoni, manicotti, ziti, linguini, and spaghetti which are recognized by the consumer, and are included under common names field. The nutrient composition of various forms of pasta products are the same on an equal weight basis. Cup weights for different shapes are provided.