How Whole Grains Impact Disease
What You Eat Can Decrease Your Risk of Some Diseases
Heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes are among the leading causes of death in the United States today, 1, 2, 3 and 6 respectively. The incidence of heart disease, stroke and diabetes has been steadily rising over the last 10 years, especially in children and young adults. The good news is, all of these destructive diseases can be significantly affected by diet and lifestyle changes.
When it comes to nutrition, most of the time we hear what we should not be eating, we hear about the bad foods. Unfortunately, we hear far less about the good foods, the foods that can positively impact our health and lives. Whole grain breads and cereals defiantly fall into this good food category, and their benefits have been widely studied over. Adding whole grains to your diet can help you lose weight and achieve your ideal body weight, but they can also help decrease your chances of developing some chronic and life threatening diseases, thereby improving your overall health.
Heart Disease, Stroke and Whole Grains
Heart Disease is an umbrella term that refers to a subgroup of cardiovascular diseases. Often dislipidemia (high cholesterol/triglycerides) and hypertension (high blood pressure) contribute to the development of these cardiovascular diseases. Studies show that people who eat the majority of their breads and cereals from whole grain sources have a lower incidence of hypertension, high cholesterol and high triglycerides (1,2,3). This greatly decreases their chances for developing heart disease and stroke, the two top causes of death in the United States.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein found in the blood, the levels of which rise in response to inflammation. An increase of CRP in the absence of an infection has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating whole grains can reduce CRP levels by up to 40%, significantly reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease (4).
Cancer and Whole Grains
Cancer is the second highest killer in the world, and millions more people are affected in some way by this insidious disease. Some of the most exciting news in research today, is the connection between whole grains and a decline in cancer risk. Researchers in Brazil conducted a study that followed over 1 million people for close to a decade; which concluded that “consumption of whole grains was inversely associated with the risk of developing colorectal cancer." (5) It is often assumed that the fiber content of the whole grains is where the benefit lies, but actually the specific nutrient content of the whole grains is what makes it so effective in reducing the risk of colorectal cancer.
Pancreatic cancer has one of the highest mortality rates of all types of cancer and has been made even more infamous after the deaths of Randy Pausch author of The Last Lecture and actor Patrick Swayze. Research out of California in 2007 shows that a person can decrease their risk of developing pancreatic cancer by up to 40%, by incorporating two or more servings of whole grains daily (6).
A UK study suggests that eating whole grains can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by half, especially in post-menopausal women. It is thought that the fiber affects the way the body processes the hormone estrogen (8). This is big news considering that breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women.
Diabetes and Whole grains
Whole grains and the fiber they contain help to regulate and stabilize blood sugars, which is a major concern for the 15 million plus people living with diabetes in the United States today. It is well known that the prevention of a chronic disease is better than managing a current disease state. A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, found that eating two-servings of whole grains a day was associated with a 21% decrease in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. (7)
The Big Picture
The studies outlined above are only a few of the hundreds of studies that show time and time again the impact whole grains have on health and wellness. In addition to effecting heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes, whole grains have been shown to improve acne, aid in muscle recovery after exercise, reduce macular degeneration and reduce asthma in children. The idea that an additional three servings of whole grains a day can have such an enormous effect of a person’s health and well being is mind boggling.
Lifestyle and diet changes can feel overwhelming at times, but increasing your whole grain intake can be easily accomplished, by making a few small changes. Such as making your sandwich using whole grain bread, eating a whole wheat English muffin for breakfast or even making your spaghetti with whole wheat pasta. Remember, it’s the little changes you make that often transform your life.
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, (July 1, 2009). doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27460
- Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Disease, online June 9, 2009. DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2009.03.025
- Agricultural Research, March 2006, 20-21
- Archives of Internal Medicine, March 2007; 12;167(5):502-6
- International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Mar 2009, 21:1-13
- The American Journal of Epidemiology, November 2007; 166(10):1174-1185
- PLoS Medicine, August 2007; 28;4(8):e261
- International Journal of Epidemiology, April 2007; 36(2):431-8
Go Whole Grains!
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