Whole Grains to Live Longer
During the 19th century in Europe, flour was made by milling wheat grains between two large rocks. Grains were originally milled once and all their components were maintained in the flour. However, a whiter flour could also be made by milling the grains several times and sifting them from their outer layers, leaving only the refined powder. This process being much more labour-intensive, white flour was reserved for the upper class.
With the advent of industrialization, this ´purer´ version of flour became accessible to everyone and refined grains are predominantly consumed ever since. However, the 19th century rich may have got it all wrong, and we’ve been following the bad example.
We hear more and more that brown bread, pasta and rice are healthier than their white relatives, but we’re used to the latter, and we like them. Well, it might be time to open your mind to changing your habits. If you lack enough information to shift to the dark version of grains, here are some reasons why you should do so.
Longer Life and Fewer Diseases
A recent study led by a team from Harvard found that a high intake of whole grains reduced the risk of dying by an average of 17%. They estimated this value from the diet and death records of over 367,000 healthy men and women for a duration of 14 years. This finding was confirmed by another paper in over 118,000 people over 26 years.
Consuming 1.2 ounces (34g) of whole grains a day reduces your risk of dying by 17%.
These studies also found that a consumption of 1.2 ounces of whole grains per day reduced the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) by about 11%, from diabetes by 48% and from respiratory diseases by 11%. Death from infections and some cancers were also reduced. No wonder why whole grains now occupy 1/4 of Harvard’s renowned dietary recomendations.
Cereal Fiber
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that can’t be digested, and it is one of the main nutrients that are lost when grains are refined. We can’t use it for energy then, like sugars, but it still has effects on us. One of the studies specifically analyzed whether the total intake of cereal fiber affected mortality rates, and they found an even stronger reduction. In addition, when they removed fiber from the equation, no associations were found between whole grains and death risk anymore. This suggests that fiber may be one of the main components in whole grains that is responsible for its effects in longevity and health-span.
But it is not any type of fiber. Fruits and vegetables are also packed with healthy fiber that benefit digestion, heart health and blood sugar control. But it is the fiber found in cereals that is the hero in this case.
Cereal fiber lowers the chronic inflammation of the body, which is strongly associated to aging and numerous diseases like diabetes, CVD and cancer, as well as increased mortality. Fiber reduces the secretion of molecules that promote inflammation, such as C-reactive proteins (which recruit an inflammatory response when cells die), or tumour necrosis factor-α receptor 2 (which facilitates the inflammatory response triggered by the immune system).
Cereal fiber also benefits the community of microorganisms that inhabit our gut; it increases beneficial bacterial species and improves digestive function. Gut microbiota play an important role in our health, and altered communities have been linked to diseases like obesity, diabetes, CVD and colorectal cancer. Fiber may therefore help prevent these diseases by keeping the microbial community in check.
Another major benefit of fiber is its reduction of LDL cholesterol (the bad one) in the blood, which at high levels can cause heart attacks. It does so by binding to LDL and pushing it to excretion without digestion.
And finally, bran and fiber in whole grains slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, in contrast to refined grains, which cause sharp spikes in blood glucose. Continuous glucose spikes can cause insulin resistance and eventually diabetes, which is precisely the cause of death that is most reduced by whole grain consumption.
Beyond Fiber
But fiber may not be the only player here. It comes with a large package of other nutrients that may be central to its health benefits. The grain germ has abundant antioxidants like vitamin E that reduce oxidative stress, which is associated to cancer, CVD and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Phytochemicals, also present in the germ, are chemicals produced by plants that can prevent pathogen infections, cancers and CVD. Additionally, the bran is filled with essential minerals like magnesium, selenium and copper that can protect against some cancers, and with B vitamins that prevent from neurodegeneration and CVD.
Why Refined Grains In Stores?
Refined grains do not provide the protective nor the nutritious powers of whole grains, and they act in a similar way to unhealthy sugar in our body. Why are there more refined grain products than there are whole grain products in stores then?
Refined grains have a longer shelf life, as they are stripped from the fat content of the germ, and are hence more viable for the market. But it is also due to demand: there is a perception that whole grains taste worse or have a weird texture, and their health benefits are not well-known yet.
Integrating Whole Grains
So now that you know them, it’s your turn to integrate whole grains into your daily life, and to spread their health benefits to those you care about. It’s very easy to replace refined grains for whole ones (see table for examples).
Brown rice may take a little bit longer to cook than white one, but it also makes your life longer, so it compensates, right?
Diego Garcia Vega - December 1st 2017