Vinson said that everyone was under the impression, because of early research, that the main health value of whole grains was the fibre, and that this was the active ingredient that also accounted for their link with reduced risk of cancer and heart disease.

But what he and his colleagues found was that whole grain foods have similar levels of antioxidants per gram as fruits and vegetables, said a release of US-P.

'This is the first study to examine total phenol antioxidants in breakfast cereals and snacks, whereas previous studies have measured free antioxidants in the products,' explained Vinson.

These findings were presented this week at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Washington DC. They are slated for publication in the Aug 27 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association.