Eat for Health: Wholegrains

By Brandie Umar - Executive Director of Content | March 29th, 2011

Wholegrain carbohydrates are renowned for offering health benefits. People who eat a diet rich in wholegrains and low in refined carbohydrates found in white bread, white rice and pasta are healthier overall due to the antioxidant properties of wholegrain foods. Swapping to wholegrains can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 35% and a wholegrain diet can help the body fend off viruses.

Recent research suggests that wholegrain foods could have significant impact on diabetes-related heart disease. New research suggests that wholegrains such as brown rice can reduce the risk of initially developing adult-onset diabetes which can lead to heart disease. Researchers believe type 2 diabetes risk could be reduced by 1/3 if people swap refined carbohydrates for wholegrains.

In a study of over 150,000 people, eating brown rice regularly reduced the risk of diabetes developing by 11%, whereas regularly consuming refined carbohydrates in white risk increased the risk of adult-onset diabetes by 17%. (sic. BBC).

Wholegrains have long been a recommended dietary swap for diabetics; helping top lower blood sugar levels and providing complex slow-release energy to prevent sugar highs. The study, conducted by researchers at Harvard, did not conclusively state how much wholegrain food would need to be included in a persons' diet to reduce type 2 diabetes developing, however the researchers believe including regular servings of wholegrain food in a balanced diet could reduce diabetes risk by as much as 16%.

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