Whole Grains
Grain foods themselves are not fattening, as many believe. It is the toppings, sauces and fillings added to grain-based foods that add calories and fat.
Popular diet plans may recommend cutting back on grain foods. On the contrary, whole grains are a good choice for people trying to lose weight because they are filling and relatively low in calories.
Obese adults who slashed calorie and added whole grains (think brown rice, oatmeal) to their diets lost more belly fat than dieters who ate refined grains (like white bread), a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says.
Proven and significant health benefits of whole-grains come from the whole grain nutrient "package", not just from the fiber or individual nutrients.
Whole Grains vs. Heart Failure
Men who consume more whole-grain breakfast cereals have a lower risk of heart failure, the leading cause of hospitalization among older Americans. One out of five 40-year olds will be diagnosed with heart failure in his or her lifetime. Researchers tracked more than 21,000 participants in the Physicians' Health Study for an average of 20 years. Those who ate whole-grain cereal at least seven times a week had a 28 percent lower risk of heart failure than those who ate whole-grain cereal less than once a week. Those who hate whole-grain cereal two to six times a week had a 22 percent lower risk. Refined grains weren't linked to heart failure.
What to do...
Eat whole, not refined grains. Earlier studies found a lower risk of heart attacks and high blood pressure in whole-grain eaters. It is not clear whether the potassium, antioxidants, phytoestrogens, fiber, or other constituents of whole grains and may protect the heart. It is also possible that something else about whole-grain eaters kept their hearts pumping, though the researchers accounted for age, smoking, alcohol, vegetables, multivitamins, exerciseand other factors.
Whole grains contain hundreds of phytonutrients that appear to work together in powerful ways with the fiber and other nutrients to protect against chronic diseases like heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes.
Whole grains have a pleasant, nutty flavor and in some cases, such as breads, may be denser.
Learn to appreciate these qualities of whole grains either alone or with low fat additions to reap the array of health benefits.
View a Whole Grain Pantry Checklist (New window)
See also:
Defining Whole Grains
Grain Information
Whole Grain Recipes
