The U.S. government now recommends that at least half of your daily grain servings should be whole grains, due to the strong research supporting their health benefits.
A whole grain is the plant's entire kernel: the protective fiber-rich bran coating, the starchy endosperm, and the nutrient-rich germ. The bran and germ appear to be largely responsible for whole grains' health benefits.
For individuals who eat 3 or more whole grain servings daily, the benefits are many. Risk of heart disease, the number one killer of men and women, is cut by 20-40 percent (1). Diabetes risk is also reduced by about 20-40 percent (1,2). Whole grain eaters have lower levels of: blood pressure, inflammation, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and triglycerides (3), thus reducing major risk factors for heart disease. Whole grains also protect against stroke (1), certain types of cancer (4,5), gum disease (6), and obesity (5,7).
For Barilla Whole Grain Fiber information, click here.
For Barilla Whole Grain Recipes, click here.
1. Jacobs Dr, Jr., Gallaher DD (2004) Whole grain intake and cardiovascular disease: a review. Current Atherosclerosis Reports 6:415-423.
2. Venn BJ, Mann JI (2004) cerreal grains, legumes and diabetes. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition Nov;58(11):1443-61.
3. McKeown NM, Meigs JB, Liu S, et al. (2002) Whole-grain intake is favorably associated with metabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the Framingham Offspring Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76:390-398.
4. Williams, MT, Hord NG (2005) The role of dietary factors in cancer prevention: beyond fruits and vegtables. Nutrition in Clinical Practic Aug;20(4)451-9.
5. Slavin, JL (2003) Why whole grains are protective: biological mechanisms. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 62, 129-134.
6. Merchant AT, Pitiphat W, Franz M, Joshipura KJ. (2006) Whole-grain and fiber intakes and periodontis risk in men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 83:1395-1400.
7. Slavin, JL (2005) Dietary fiber and body weight. Nutrition Mar;(3):411-8.
