Most of what we eat is refined grains-the bran and germ have been removed, just leaving the starchy endosperm, which while good for calories has less protein, vitamins and minerals, and fiber than the whole grain does. This is why white flour and white rice is enriched--not to make a good thing better, but as a feeble attempt to replace what was taken away.

Now, I still eat refined grains a bit,. but at home we eat brown rice, whole grain bread, and whole grain pasta. It's even tastier in most cases, because you actually have the flavor of the grain instead of a soulless complex carbohydrate mass.