Whole Grain Cereals Prolong Life

[Guest guest]

Extensive Study Finds Whole Grain Cereals Prolong Life

 

Whole Grain Cereals Prolong Life

June 12, 2003

Source: Longevity News

 

Men who eat whole grain cereals have lower risk of death from cardiovascular

disease and all other causes than men who eat refined grain cereals,

according to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

(2003;77:594-9).

 

Current dietary recommendations emphasize grain products as part of the

foundation of a balanced diet. Unrefined whole grains contain abundant

amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber and other beneficial

nutrients. Highly refined grains, on the other hand, which are the most

common type of grain products eaten in the United States, provide

substantially smaller quantities of these important nutrients. There is a

growing awareness of the importance of the quality, as much as the quantity,

of grains in the diet. Several studies have found that increased consumption

of whole grains reduces risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,

and other studies have linked high consumption of refined grain products

with type 2 diabetes and risk of death from all causes.

 

The current study came out of data collected during the Physicians' Health

Study, in which over 86,000 male physicians in the United States

participated. Study participants completed a food- frequency questionnaire

and were ranked according to their consumption of whole grain breakfast

cereals, refined grain breakfast cereals, and total breakfast cereals. Whole

grain cereals were defined as those containing at least 25% whole grain or

bran by weight. Follow-up was conducted over an average of 5.5 years.

 

Analysis of the data revealed a significant reduction in the risk of death

from cardiovascular disease and death from all causes in the men eating the

greatest quantity of whole grain cereals compared with those eating the

fewest servings of whole grain cereals. Neither refined grain cereal nor

total cereal intake, however, had any effect on risk of death from

cardiovascular or other causes. These results remained significant after

taking into account other factors of diet and lifestyle known to be

associated with risk of cardiovascular and all causes of death such as

smoking, exercise, weight, vegetable intake and use of multivitamins. Men

eating one or more servings of whole grain cereals per day had approximately

a 20% lower risk of death from cardiovascular and other causes compared with

men never or rarely eating whole grain cereals.

 

The results of this study contribute to our understanding of the importance

of whole grains in the diet. Future dietary recommendations should include

guidelines for evaluating the quality of grain products based on their whole

grain content. It is noteworthy that only 12% of the men in this study, all

of whom were highly educated and theoretically knowledgeable about health,

reported eating at least one serving of whole grain cereals per day,

suggesting a societal lack of understanding of the nutritional value of

whole grains.

 

Other behaviors shown to reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular

disease and other causes include not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight

for your height, practicing regular physical activity, consuming large

amounts of vegetables and taking a multivitamin.

 

Read Roger Mason's " Zen Macrobiotics " for More Information on Whole Grains

and Their Amazing Benefits