Recent research
reported in the May 2007 issue of the online journal
Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases, shows that
Americans should eat more whole grains like oatmeal, barley
and brown rice to help lower their risk of clogged arteries,
heart attacks and strokes, according to researchers. The
study’s lead author, Dr. Philip B Mellen, of Wake Forest
University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina commented: "Many
consumers and health professionals are not aware of the
health benefits of whole grains".
In a review of seven
major studies, the researchers found that higher whole grain
intake was consistently linked to a lower risk of heart
disease and stroke. On average, adults who ate 2.5 servings
of whole grains per day were nearly one-quarter less likely
to develop cardiovascular disease than their peers who
rarely consumed whole grains. Whole grains are believed to
benefit the heart in a number of ways. The fiber and other
nutrients in whole grains may help lower cholesterol, blood
sugar and insulin levels, as well as improve blood vessel
functioning and reduce inflammation in the circulatory
system. Yet, surveys show that few Americans get the
recommended three servings of whole grains per day,
according to the authors of the new study. More than 40
percent of U.S. adults say they eat no whole grains at all.
"Years ago, scientists
hypothesized that the higher rates of chronic diseases we
have in the West, including heart disease, are due, in part,
to a diet full of processed foods," Mellen said. This idea
has been born out, he added, in the lower rates of obesity,
high cholesterol and heart problems seen in people who eat
more whole grains.
Whole Grains are the
seeds of plants that belong to the grass family. This seed,
also known as the kernel, is made up of three key parts: the
bran, the germ, and the endosperm. But when a grain is
refined, most of the bran and some of the germ is removed,
resulting in losses of fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, trace
minerals, heart healthy fats, and about 75 percent of the
phytonutrients. Examples of refined grain products include
anything made with white flour such as white breads, pasta,
and crackers. Other examples include white rice and corn
flakes cereal.
A whole grain can be a single food, such as oatmeal, brown
rice, barley, or popcorn, or an ingredient in another food
such as bread or cereal. Whole grains include whole wheat,
whole oats/oatmeal, whole-grain corn, popcorn, brown rice,
whole rye, whole-grain barley, wild rice, buckwheat, bulgur
(cracked wheat), millet, quinoa, and sorghum. Other less
common whole grains include amaranth, emmer, farro, grano
(lightly pearled wheat), spelt, and wheat berries.
Whole grains may be eaten whole, cracked, split, flaked, or
ground. Most often, they are milled into flour and used to
make breads, cereals, farinas, and other grain-based foods.
Regardless of how they are handled, whole grains, or foods
made from whole grains contain the three essential parts and
naturally occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed.
