Whole grain increases your lifespan
In the midst of the gluten-free craze, a study by the Harvard School of Nutrition showed that the consumption of whole grain products noticeably reduces the risk of serious cardiovascular problems and can therefore also increase lifespan. At the same time, whole grain consumption can reduce the mortality rate. And even those who only take bran – according to the study – can still expect a 6 percent reduction in the mortality rate ( 1 ).
The study was published in January 2015 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine published and included the data of more than 74,000 women and over 43,000 men in the period 1984 to 2010. None of the patients had cardiovascular disease or cancer at the start of the study – but this changed over the course of the study depending on the diet ( 2 ).
Because the more whole grain products (instead of refined grain products) the study participants ate, the better off they were – completely independent of other eating habits and lifestyles.
The more whole grain, the healthier
“Our study supports current dietary guidelines that value whole grains as a healthy component of a diet that may protect against major chronic diseases,”
says dr Qi Sun, who commissioned the study Harvard University directed.
The study brought the following results:
- Whole grain consumption is associated with an average 9 percent lower all-cause mortality rate and up to 15 percent lower cardiovascular disease mortality.
- Each serving of whole grains (28 g/day) resulted in a 5 percent reduction in all-cause mortality risk and a 9 percent reduction in death rate associated with cardiovascular disease.
- No reduction in mortality was found from eating grain germ alone, although they are an essential part of whole grains. This does not mean seedlings/sprout, but the germ of the dry grain.
- The replacement of white flour products and red meat whole grains resulted in a lower mortality rate.
- All those who consumed a particularly large amount of whole grains, e.g. B. in the form of porridge, brown rice, Grain and quinoa seemed to be best protected against disease. This is especially true for heart diseases.
- Even better: whole grains in the form of pseudo grains or gluten-free grains
The last point shows that whole grains are not always the same gluten means. After all, you can also eat gluten-free cereals (or pseudo-cereals) in the whole grain version, such as e.g. B. the one mentioned rice, quinoa, milletCorn, buckwheat and amaranth.
Whole grain provides many vital substances
All of these foods provide a decent amount of fiber on the one hand and a high variety and dose of vital substances on the other, such as e.g. B. the B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, zincIron, copper, manganese as well as a lot antioxidants and phytochemicals. The grain germ also contains valuable fatty acids and the antioxidant fat-soluble one vitamin E.
Whole grains lower blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol
It is therefore not surprising that regular whole grain consumption lowers blood pressure as well as blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels. What has long been normal for many health-conscious people (eating whole grains) is, however, a rarity for the majority of the population.
White flour – Free from roughage and vital substances
The typical European and North American diet contains grain mostly in the refined version (white flour). The outer layers of bran and the germ are removed from the grain. What remains is the well-known white flour or polished rice. Both can be stored wonderfully and the popular fluffy baked goods can be made from the latter. However, both are also almost free of fiber and vital substances.
However, it is precisely these two groups of substances that – according to Dr. Lu Qi – lead to the beneficial effects of whole grains, thus reducing the risk of all-cause mortality as well as the risk of death. The latter because whole grains help prevent chronic diseases such as B. cancer, heart disease, diabetes and respiratory diseases help.
Phytic acid and lectins: Extremely healthy in the right dose
Incidentally, the cancer-fighting, anti-inflammatory and sometimes also blood-thinning substances in cereals include those that are often so miserably devalued in the health scene phytic acid, lectins, the enzyme inhibitors and many others. As always, it depends on the right dose and the overall diet or lifestyle of the individual.
Who exclusively from Wheat– white flour products and polished rice with sausage, cheese and meat will hardly be able to enjoy the positive grain properties. On the contrary. He will overdose on gluten and isolated carbohydrates.
On the other hand, those who avoid wheat and instead choose other grains (millet, spelt, oats) and pseudo-grains and eat the whole grain version together with lots of vegetables, salads, nuts and sprouts and like to exercise outside in the fresh air will get the best of the grain advantages can benefit ( 3 ).