A new study has found some delicious news on the whole grains front.
Researchers discovered that people who eat several servings of whole grains a day — while limiting their intake of refined grains – have less of a dangerous type of fat in their bodies. The target is “Visceral Adipose Tissue” (VAT), which is thought to play a key role in triggering heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Those adults who ate three or more servings of whole grains a day had VAT levels about 10% lower than those who had one serving a day. It also meant the adults limited their intake of refined grains, which have gone through processing and have had much nutritional value stripped from them.
Servings go as such: a slice of 100% whole wheat bread or a half cup of oatmeal constituted one serving of whole grains, while a slice of white bread or a half cup of white rice represented a serving of refined grains.
Researchers examined diet questionnaires submitted by 2,834 adults aged 32 to 83. The adults then had their VAT levels checked. Visceral fat surrounds the abdominal organs, while subcutaneous fat is found just beneath the skin. It’s the visceral kind that is far worse, tied to the development of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors including hypertension, unhealthy cholesterol levels and insulin resistance that can develop into cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes.
Those who ate more whole grains had a direct link with less visceral fat. This huge link was seen even after accounting for other lifestyle factors, such as smoking, alcohol intake, fruit and vegetable intake, calorie intake, and physical activity levels. It was published in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”
The study builds on past research that suggests eating more whole grains reduce risk of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. In this study, researchers did not find that whole grains improved VAT volume if you continue to eat four or more servings of refined grains each day. Thus, it’s clear the mix of more whole grains and no refined grains is critical to this result.
Help your body with brown rice rather than white, or a rye bread sandwich rather than a white one. Whole grains are king.
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