Whole Grains Whole grains are a healthy addition to almost any diet. In varying amounts, they provide healthy proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and micronutrients. As a bonus, whole grain oats help reduce blood fats (LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, etc). This ability to lower LDL without changing HDL is believed to result from the viscous beta-glucan fibers in oats. The effect of other whole grains on blood fats is much less than oats or there is a lack of studies demonstrating their effect on cholesterol. In the case of barley and rye, both are high in viscous fibers however, insufficient studies are available to make a determination. Whole grains offer a nutritious package that includes three parts: bran, germ, and endosperm. The bran is a fiber-rich outer layer that supplies vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. At the core, the germ contains healthy fats along with more vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. The interior part, called the endosperm, contains carbohydrates, proteins, and small amounts of vitamins and minerals. In contrast with whole grains, most refined grains contain only the starchy endosperm part. Each part of the whole grain is important for health. The fiber in the grains bran helps food move through the digestive tract and slows the breakdown of starch into glucose. This in turn helps maintain steady blood sugar without sharp spikes. And, as previously mentioned, fiber helps to lower cholesterol. Fiber may also help prevent heart attacks or strokes by preventing the formation of small blood clots. In other parts of the grain, the abundance of essential vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals provide nutrients that are also believed to help protect against some cancers. Unfortunately, the invention of industrialized roller mills in the late 19th century changed the way grains were processed and along with it the diet habits of most people. The ability to easily remove the germ (fat content) greatly extended the grains’ shelf-life. What was left had much lower nutritional quality and a much higher glycemic index. In exchange for fluffier bread and cake the average person gained weight and has poorer health. Although it was only a partial solution to the nutritional deficiencies of milled grains, in the 1940s some nutrients lost in processing were added back to flour. Due to the research showing health benefits derived from whole grains and detrimental effect from refined grains, it’s important to read food labels for their whole grain content. The best way to know if a product has a significant amount of whole grains is to check the label to determine if the first or second ingredient is a whole grain. A better strategy is to buy only bulk packaged whole grains and cook them at home. Cooking a pot of whole grain cereals for the coming week is a handy way to compliment any meal including a lunch you take to work or school. Take care when choosing foods labeled as whole grains. “Whole grain” is often a marketing ploy. It seems that each time a new food is declared nutritious, unscrupulous food companies use the new food as camouflage for their unhealthy products. In the case of products marketed as whole grains, many are actually foods high in salt, added fats, and sugar. Even food sold as ‘high in fiber’ is suspect since that leaves in question whether the rest of the grain was discarded or included. While an occasional refined grain treat may have no noticeable health effect, making low quality grains a part of your routine diet over many years can have detrimental health effects. As nutrition research has accumulated, it has become clear that the quality of carbohydrates eaten is important. Results from a wide range of studies show a connection between whole grains and better health. • Studies have linked whole grain consumption with fewer deaths from inflammatory and infectious causes including rheumatoid arthritis, gout, asthma, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and neurodegenerative diseases. Compared with women who rarely or never ate whole-grain foods, those who had at least two or more servings a day were 30% less likely to have died from an inflammation- related condition over a 17-year period. • An analysis of over 786,000 individuals found that people who ate 70 grams/day of whole grains had a 22% lower risk of total mortality, a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, and a 20% lower risk of cancer mortality when compared with those who ate little or no whole grains. • Eating whole grains instead of refined grains substantially lowers low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the bad cholesterol), triglycerides, and insulin levels. • In the Harvard-based Nurses’ Health Study, women who ate 2 to 3 servings of whole-grain products each day were 30% less likely to have a heart attack or die from heart disease over a 10-year period than women who ate less than 1 serving per week. • A meta-analysis of seven major studies showed that cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke, or the need for a procedure to bypass or open a clogged artery) was 21% less likely in people who ate 2.5 or more servings of whole-grain foods a day compared with those who ate less than 2 servings a week. • In a study of more than 160,000 women whose health and dietary habits were followed for up to 18 years, those who averaged 2 to 3 servings of whole grains a day were 30% less likely to have developed type 2 diabetes than those who rarely ate whole grains. • A study of more than 72,000 postmenopausal women without diabetes at the start of the study found that the higher the intake of whole grains, the greater the risk reduction of type 2 diabetes. A 43% reduced risk was found in women eating the highest amount of whole grains (2 or more servings daily) as compared with those who ate no whole grains. • A review of four large population studies showed a protective effect of whole grains from colorectal cancer, with a cumulative risk reduction of 21%. If considering a change in diet that includes more whole grains, here are a few points to consider. While gluten can cause side effects in some people, such as those with celiac disease, most people can and have eaten gluten most of their lives without any adverse reaction. For further information on gluten and health, see: “Gluten: A Benefit or Harm to the Body?” The blood-lipid lowering effects of whole grains are smaller than those achieved with medications. Nevertheless, the effects are considered clinically relevant. This is particularly true of whole-grain oats. In combination with a change to a plant-based whole food diet, many find they need less medication or no longer need medications to regulate lipids. While other whole grains offer excellent health benefits, the evidence for lowering lipids is not their notable advantage. You may wonder which whole grain provides the best overall health benefits. For heart health, oats may be the best. Otherwise, it would be a tough call given that each whole grain has certain strengths. For example, of the twelve most popular grains, oats rank seventh place for total fiber, third place for total nutrients, and second place for protein. In contrast, corn rates last for nutrients and tenth place for fiber and protein. You could do worse. White rice ranks even lower but then it’s not a whole grain. To do better, make whole grains part of your diet. If having difficulty choosing the right one I’ll offer a suggestion. The one you prefer and are willing to eat every day is the best one for you. Still pondering which whole grain is the most nutritious? Well, for those with an urge to compare grains, the table below offers one approach. For purposes of calculating a relative nutrient rating, the grains received one point for each of the following nutrients: protein, fiber, iron, zinc, folic acid, vitamin E, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and calcium. Relative Amount of Nutrients per Grain (1 is highest amount, 12 is lowest amount) Nutrients Fiber in grams Protein in grams (See formula) per serving per serving __________________________________________ 1 Amaranth Barley Amaranth 2 Rye Amaranth Oats 3 Oats Whole wheat Rye 4 Wild rice Rye Wild rice 5 Millet Buckwheat Millet 6 Barley Millet Quinoa 7 Quinoa Oats Barley 8 Buckwheat Wild Rice Whole wheat 9 Whole wheat Quinoa Buckwheat 10 Brown rice Corn Corn 11 White rice Brown Rice Brown Rice 12 Corn White Rice White Rice The unique distribution of micronutrients in each whole grain further complicates answering the question, which grain is best. Top Five Grains For Selected Micronutrients Folic Acid Calcium Iron Zinc Millet Amaranth Quinoa Wild Rice Wild Rice Quinoa Amaranth Rye Rye Oats Oat Amaranth Amaranth Barley Enriched Rice Oats Oats Rye Millet Quinoa While you may feel better by knowing you have a whole grain that rates high in these micronutrient categories, the more important consideration is that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. For that reason, both brown rice and whole kernel corn rank high as nutritious foods when part of a balanced diet composed of plant-based whole foods. Nancy Neighbors, MD Huntsville, Alabama |