The Whole Story on Grains

[Guest guest]

The Whole Story on Grains

Posted by: " JoAnn Guest " angelprincessjo angelprincessjo

Sun Jun 25, 2006 5:47 pm (PST)

The Whole Story on Grains

 

 

A recent study by researchers at the University of Minnesota's

School of Public Health discovered that consumption of whole grains

reduces the risk of heart disease, the #1 killer disease in the U.S.

Previous studies have found that the risk of cancer is also reduced

by whole grains.

 

Whole grains and whole grain products have an abundance of health-

promoting substances. Compared to refined grains, whole grains

contain higher amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber, phenols, and

phytoestrogens.

 

This rich nutritional content is thought to be the reason that whole

grains are effective in preventing diseases such as heart disease

and cancer.

 

Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary

Guidelines for Americans supports the consumption of a substantial

amount of refined grains, and the public continues to consume

refined grains in large quantities and whole grains in limited

quantities.

 

In related news: It was once thought that the phytic acid in whole

grains would bind essential minerals in the diet such as calcium,

magnesium, iron, zinc and copper, and prevent their passage into the

bloodstream.

 

Even though unrefined grains provide four to five times the

minerals of refined flour, some experts have been hesitant to

recommend them for this reason.

 

Now, a recent study has found that even though mineral absorption

from whole grains may be reduced for a number of days, the phytic

acid effect soon disappears, and minerals are absorbed in normal

amounts.

 

This is apparently due to a higher rate of mineral absorption in

the colon, made possible by increased bacterial fermentation of the

carbohydrates in grain.

Based on information in: American Journal

of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 68 p 248 1998; Journal of Nutrition, Vol

128 #7 1998

 

Excerpted from Spectrum Magazine

http://garynull.com/node/13117