Make that whole wheat

Vegetarian Journal, Jan-March, 2008 by Reed Mangels

The average American eats less than one serving of whole grains a day. Sad, isn't it? Current recommendations call for eating three or more servings of whole grains every day, something many vegetarians already do. What's so important about whole grains? Well, for starters, they seem to protect against various types of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. When grains are refined, they lose fiber, magnesium, vitamin E, and other nutrients that play a role in health. A recent study (1) suggests that middle-aged people can reduce their risk of heart and blood vessel disease by eating more whole grains. This study looked at the thickness of the walls of the carotid arteries, which are tubes that carry blood to the brain, of close to 1,200 adults and measured changes in thickness over a five-year period. Thicker walls increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Subjects eating the most whole grains had less thickening of the walls of their carotid arteries over time, suggesting that they were at lower risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Another study found that women who had higher intakes of whole grains had a lower risk of hypertension. (2) So, for lots of reasons, choose whole wheat bread and whole grain cereals and pasta.

(1) Mellen PB, Liese AD, Tooze JA, et al. 2007. Whole-grain intake and carotid artery atherosclerosis in a multiethnic cohort: the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study. Am J Clin Nutr 85:1,495-1,502.

(2) Wang L, Gaziano JM, Liu S, et al. 2007. Whole- and refined-grain intakes and the risk of hypertension in women. Am J Clin Nutr 86:472-79.