Does Whole Grain Lower Heart Disease Risk?
Did you know that whole grains for three servings lowers risk of heart disease? Let us see what recent research says about this.
Whole grains helps lessen heart disease risk factors:
The main goal of this research is to find how the intake of whole & refined grain lowers the risk factors of heart disease like increased blood pressure, waist size, and blood sugar. The research was based on data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, which started in 1970s, to check the risk factors mentioned above. This includes 3,121 participants consisting mostly of whites age was in the mid-50s. The outcome was monitored for 18 years with updating of collected data at four-year intervals.
Result of the study:
By comparing the changes the researchers determined that among those who ingested more of these grains the waist size increased less. On top of that in those who had fewer servings of whole grains blood sugar and systolic blood pressure increases were higher. Low consumption of refined grains led to greater mean decline in triglyceride levels. This shows that the intake of whole grains lowers heart disease risk.
Whole grains contain fiber and heart-healthy nutrients:
These grains are the best because they include all the edible parts of the grain kernel: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm, stated Mary-Jon Ludy, PhD. After refining what is remaining is the endosperm and a smaller amount of vitamins and minerals. Whereas Ludy says that the lost elements play a vital role in our health.
Fiber – maintains constant blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol, healthy digestion Fiber with B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin), vitamin E, minerals (iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc) provides a host of disease prevention benefits they are:
- lower levels of inflammation and reduced rates of heart disease,
- hypertension,
- stroke,
- type 2 diabetes,
- colon cancer,
- obesity
We should keep in mind that refined grains are sometimes fortified with nutrients like folic acid(artificially). If you are trying to increase your whole grain intake (if pregnant) make sure to get ample folic acid.
Adding more whole grains into diet:
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests at least three servings of whole grains a day says Colleen Tewksbury, PhD. Refined grains should be consumed for three servings or less. A serving is the equivalent of a small slice of bread.
Tewksbury suggests that it is better to look at the products which are used previously that are refined grains & try to exchange them with the whole grains.
- Do you eat pasta? Then try to replace that with whole-grain pasta.
- Same goes for breads and other bread products.
If the stamp is not there do look on the product for a statement that states the product contains whole grains. If first ingredient on the label is whole grain then there are high chances are good to be whole grain.
Terms used to find whole grains:
- whole grain [name of grain]
- whole wheat
- stoneground whole [grain]
- whole [other grain]
- brown rice
- oats, oatmeal
- wheatberries