We keep hearing that we should be eating more whole grains. The latest versions of most of the western world’s official nutrition guides recommend at least three servings per day. But why are we supposed to be eating all that ‘horse food’? Science has found the answer…
The evidence is conclusive: Eating more whole grains can reduce your risk
risk of heart disease significantly. But you probably won’t do it…
Folks started refining grains for human consumption in the late 1800s. New milling processes allowed processors to separate the germ and bran from the inner grain kernel, which (in the opinion of some) improved flavour, texture and colour (softer, whiter bread), and mouth feel (no woody bran bits). It also improved shelf life. But milling away the germ and bran also removes a lot of potential nutritional value from grain. How much and what kind? Inquiring minds wanted to know.
What they did
So, researchers from Tufts University set out to determine how whole- and refined-grain intake over time impacted five risk factors of heart disease: Waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, and HDL (‘good’) cholesterol.
They designed a data-mining protocol to analyse information from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, a long-term survey designed to determine the impact that various lifestyle choices had on the development of heart disease in old age. A group of 3,100 participants, in their mid-50s on average, were examined every 4 years, starting in the 1970s, over a total span of 18 years.
The research team compared changes in the five cardio risk factors over four-year intervals, across four categories of reported whole grain intake, ranging from less than a half serving per day to three or more servings per day. For purposes of the study, a serving was defined as one slice of whole-grain bread, a half cup of rolled oats cereal, or a half cup of brown rice, in line with the official recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025. Guidelines contained in the latest Canada’s Food Guide and the official dietary guides of other western countries agree closely with the U.S. recommendations for daily consumption of whole grains.
What they found
According to ab abstract of the study report, the results showed that for each four-year interval:
- Waist size increased by an average of over 1 in. / 2.5 cm in the low intake participants, versus about ½ in. / 1.5 cm in the high intake participants.
- Even after accounting for changes in waist size, average increases in blood sugar levels and systolic blood pressure were greater in low intake participants compared to high intake participants.
“Our findings suggest that eating whole-grain foods as part of a healthy diet delivers health benefits beyond just helping us lose or maintain weight as we age. In fact, these data suggest that people who eat more whole grains are better able to maintain their blood sugar and blood pressure over time. Managing these risk factors as we age may help to protect against heart disease,” says study report senior and corresponding author Nicola McKeown, of the Nutritional Epidemiology Team at Tufts.
The takeaway
“The average American consumes about five servings of refined grains daily, much more than is recommended, so it’s important to think about ways to replace refined grains with whole grains throughout your day. For example, you might consider a bowl of whole-grain cereal instead of a white flour bagel for breakfast and replacing refined-grain snacks, entrees, and side dishes with whole-grain options. Small incremental changes in your diet to increase whole-grain intake will make a difference over time,” McKeown said.
My take
I’ve said this before, about other seemingly innocuous dietary changes we can all make, that can make a major improvement in our health and well being: Who wouldn’t start eating more whole grains immediately, and regularly, if that simple dietary change could significantly improve their heart health and prolong their lives?
The problem is, most folks – even after they’ve had the benefits demonstrated to them via findings such as those of the Tufts study – don’t bother to act on them. With the grand array of whole grain breads, pastas and cereals available on the mass market today, there’s no reason not to make the healthy choice!
Muse on that!
~ Maggie J.