Eating Whole Grains Reduces the Risk of Dying Early, Study Says

Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Massachusetts have recently found out that eating 3 servings of whole grain foods like whole wheat, oats, and brown rice a day can help reduce the risk of dying early from heart disease.

Whole grains originally have complex carbohydrates and few other beneficial vitamins and minerals such as, selenium, potassium, and magnesium. It was also found that whole grains contain minimal amount of fats. However, much of the nutritional value of grains is lost during the refining process.

Previous studies revealed that foods that contain whole grains have a variety of health benefits. These benefits include reducing the risk of certain illnesses like certain cancers, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Whole grains are also helpful in maintaining our stomach's health.

According to Medical News Today, the team of experts from Harvard, led by senior author Dr. Qi Sun, took a closer look at whole grains and their impact on life longevity and diseases. For the study, the team examined data from 12 different published papers together with data from sources which are still unpublished like the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III and NHANES 1999-2004. Participants of the studies were from different parts of the world including countries like United Kingdom, United States, and Scandinavian countries.

In an article by the Medical Daily, it revealed that data saying that for every 16-gram serving of whole grains, there is at least 7 percent reduction in the risk of early death, a 9 percent decline in deaths caused by heart disease, and a 5 percent decline in cancer-related deaths. It also said that researches discover that having 3 servings of whole grains was linked with a 20 percent reduced risk of all-cause death, 25 percent decrease in the risk of deaths related to heart disease, and 14 percent decline in cancer-related deaths.

"Previous studies have suggested an association with consumption of whole grains and reduced risk of developing a multitude of chronic diseases that are among the top causes of deaths, although data linking whole grain intake and mortality were less consistent," said Dr. Qi Sun from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in a statement. "These findings lend further support to the U.S. government's current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which suggest higher consumption of whole grains to facilitate disease prevention."

However, thought the findings show an impressive effect size, the authors said that there are some limitations to it. An example is that earlier studies used in analyzing the data were done even before a consistent definition of whole grain was designed. This may have affected the findings because the lists of whole grain foods varied substantially between experiments.

Also, most of the participants were from Scandinavian countries and the U.S., so there is a possibility that the results are not relevant (or less relevant) for other populations.

"These findings lend further support to the U.S. government's current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which suggest higher consumption of whole grains to facilitate disease prevention," said Sun.