Want
to stay disease-free for life? All you need is seven servings of whole grains a
day.
Eating
three more portions of dietary fiber a day is associated with a lower risk for
all cardiovascular diseases and for dying of cancer, diabetes, and respiratory
and infectious diseases, a study has shown.
The
study is strong proof that consuming lots of whole grains is good for our
health, says first author Dagfinn Aune of the Norwegian University of Science
and Technology.
The
meta-analysis isn't the first study that links whole grains to positive health
effects, but it is the first one to look at how much whole grain one should eat
to minimize health risks and that has examined the connection with various
causes of death. In general, the study showed that the higher the consumption,
the better protected you are.
"We
saw the lowest risk among people who ate between seven and seven and a half
servings of whole grain products a day, which was the highest intake across all
the studies. This corresponds to 210-225 grams of whole grain products in fresh
weight and about 70-75 grams of whole grains in dry weight, and is about the
same as the health authorities in Norway and other Nordic countries recommend
as the minimum daily allowance," says Aune.
The
researchers' analyses showed fewer risk factors for people who consumed more
bread and cereal with whole grains, as well as foods with added bran. On the
other hand, people who ate a lot of white bread, rice or cereals with refined
grains did not show reduced risk.
"A
lot of folks eat plenty of grains, but they choose refined breads instead of
varieties with more dietary fiber. Our study suggests that you can reduce the
risk of premature death by replacing a big part of the white flour in your diet
with whole grain products," said Aune.
Some
of the beneficial health effects of eating whole grains may lie in their high
fiber content. A high intake of dietary fiber can stabilize blood sugar levels,
lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and levels of inflammatory markers in the
blood, and can positively affect the gut environment. All of this can
contribute to a reduced risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Whole
grain products also contain several other biologically active substances, such
as antioxidants, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc. It is probably the
whole package of favorable components that contribute to the positive effect on
the risk of chronic disease and mortality.
The
study is published in the BMJ.
Representative Image
Source: ANI
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon