There is strong epidemiological evidence of a protective role of whole grains on the risk of overall cardiovascular, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer and mortality.
Full Answer
Do contaminants from whole grains pose a risk to human health?
The risk posed by contaminants from whole grains do not outweigh the known nutritional benefits of whole grain consumption. Keywords: whole grain, contaminants, risk mitigation, mycotoxin, metal, human health, diet 1. Introduction Globally, there are over 50,000 edible plants.
What are the health benefits of whole grains?
The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study observed that consuming three servings of whole grain foods daily was associated with a 28% lower risk of coronary artery disease12 and found a 7% lower risk of incident heart failure per each additional whole grain serving.13
What are the factors that affect the consumption of grains?
Trends in consumption are affected by availability, price, ethnicity, social norms, food eaten away from home, women in the labor force, health trends, social and other media, and dietary fads. Governments and industry track production, imports, and intake of all foods including grains.
Why are processed grains bad for You?
The resulting highly processed grains are much lower in nutritional quality. Refining wheat creates fluffy flour that makes light, airy breads and pastries, but the process strips away more than half of wheat’s B vitamins, 90 percent of the vitamin E, and virtually all of the fiber.
How to reduce type 2 diabetes?
What is the bran in plants?
How many servings of whole grain food per day?
How much rice is bad for diabetes?
Why is whole grain good for you?
How to tell if a food is 100% whole grain?
What are the parts of whole grains?
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What are the effects of not eating enough grains?
It may increase risk of cardiovascular disease. A 2016 BMJ study found that cutting out grains may increase your risk for cardiovascular disease. "This is due to the lack of dietary fiber that provides important nutrients that help clean antioxidants," Arevalo says.
Why is whole grain so important?
These grains are either present in their whole form or ground into a flour while retaining all parts of the seed (bran, germ and endosperm). Compared with other types of grains, whole grains are better sources of fiber and other important nutrients, such as B vitamins, iron, folate, selenium, potassium and magnesium.
Which diseases can be prevented by eating whole grain foods?
Participants who reported at least 3 servings of whole grain product (90g) per day had a reduced risk of:Coronary heart disease.Stroke.Cardiovascular disease.Cancer.All cause mortality.Respiratory disease.Diabetes.Infectious disease.
What type of cancers are impacted by whole grain consumption?
For site-specific cancers, meta-analyses indicated that whole grain intake was consistently associated with lower risks of colorectal, colon, gastric, pancreatic, and esophageal cancers.
How much whole grain do we need daily?
The Dietary Guidelines recommends that Americans consume at least 3 servings of whole-grain foods daily, which adds up to 48 grams of whole grain.
How do grains affect your body?
Grains are important sources of many nutrients, including fiber, B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate) and minerals (iron, magnesium and selenium). People who eat whole grains as part of a healthy diet have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases.
How do whole grains impact cardiovascular health?
Based on the findings from our 'Whole grains and the heart' review, eating whole grain foods can reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 30%. When eaten as part of a heart-healthy diet, whole grains can help to: reduce cholesterol (total and low-density lipoprotein) reduce blood pressure.
Does whole grain protect against chronic disease?
Diets with high amounts of whole grains may help achieve significant weight loss, and also reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to a nutritional researchers.
Is a grain-free diet healthy?
A grain-free diet may reduce inflammation, aid weight loss, and improve digestion and blood sugar levels. It may also promote mental health and alleviate pain in people with fibromyalgia or endometriosis, though more research is needed.
What are whole grains fruits and vegetables?
Pears, bananas, berries and oranges are high-fiber fruits, while beans, peas, sweet potatoes and leafy greens are vegetables rich in dietary fiber. Aim for half of the grains you eat to be whole grains. Unlike refined grains, whole grains contain the entire grain kernel -- the bran, germ and endosperm.
What are refined grains?
Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins.
Are whole grains actually good for you?
The bottom line Whole grains are high in fiber and have been linked to health benefits, such as lower risks of heart disease, colorectal cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Too many refined grains, on the other hand, are thought to contribute to health problems.
Why are whole grains better than refined grains?
Whole grains offer a “complete package” of health benefits, unlike refined grains, which are stripped of valuable nutrients in the refining process. All whole grain kernels contain three parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm. Each section houses health-promoting nutrients.
What is the most nutritious grain?
1. Whole Oats. Oats are among the healthiest whole grains you can eat. They're not only packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber but also naturally gluten-free.
Do I need whole grains in my diet?
The bottom line Whole grains deliver a variety of health benefits. Regularly eating whole grains may reduce your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. This is particularly true when they replace the refined grains in your diet.
Whole grains: Hearty options for a healthy diet - Mayo Clinic
All types of grains are good sources of complex carbohydrates and some key vitamins and minerals, but whole grains — the healthiest kinds of grains — in particular are an important part of a healthy diet.
Whole Grains 101 | The Whole Grains Council
OLDWAYS WHOLE GRAINS COUNCIL. 266 Beacon Street, Suite 1 Boston, MA 02116. TEL 617-421-5500. FAX 617-421-5511. EMAIL [email protected]
What is the most common type of mycotoxin in wheat?
Deoxynivalenol (sometimes called vomitoxin) is a type B trichothecene that occurs predominantly in grains such as wheat, barley, oats, rye and corn, and less often in rice, sorghum and triticale. Although being one of the less acute toxic mycotoxins, it is of particular interest due to its high prevalence and, as such, has been suggested as a potential marker of the occurrence of other mycotoxins [38]. This mycotoxin thrives in cool, wet conditions, with levels present in grains reduced but not eliminated by processing [39]. It is reported to withstand high temperatures ranging from 170 °C to 350 °C [38].
What are the five groups of mycotoxins?
In grains, five groups of mycotoxins are considered highly relevant for human health with their chemical structures depicted in Figure 2: deoxynivalenol/nivalenol (DON); zearalenone; ochratoxin; fumonisins; and aflatoxins. The concentrations of mycotoxins tend to be lower in processed food products; however, incidence rates can vary depending on the individual mycotoxin, possibly due to the varying stability of mycotoxins during processing and distribution. Lower levels of mycotoxins in food products are likely also due to manufacturers carefully selecting grains with low levels of mycotoxins. Global occurrence data reported during the past 10 years, reveals mycotoxin incidence rates among the positive samples identified and maximum levels in raw grains as 55% and 1642 μg/kg for aflatoxins , 29% and 1164 μg/kg for ochratoxin A, 61% and 71,121 μg/kg for fumonisins, 58% and 41,157 μg/kg, for deoxynivalenol, and 46% and 3049 μg/kg for zearalenone [31]. It is not reported if the incidence rates in the raw grains have changed during this 10 year period but current mycotoxin incidence rates clearly indicate that mycotoxins remain a concern, globally. Given that fungal growth on grains depends on various aspects, including temperature, pH, water availability, nutrients, and light, it is not unreasonable to suggest that climate may be a crucial factor and have a direct influence on the levels of mycotoxins present; however, no clear consensus exists. Using the example of DON contamination on wheat and corn, data from two different climate models failed to show clear increases in DON concentrations with the projected earlier maturation of the grains [33]. Other modelling attempts, from e.g., the EMTOX project (2012), disagree and point to a general increase of DON contamination in wheat in North-West Europe due to climate change [34]. In support, a modelling approach for aflatoxin B1aiming to predict aspergillus flavusgrowth and aflatoxin production in corn in Europe concluded that aflatoxin B1 contamination in maize in Europe will increase due to climate change [35]. Given the differences in model parameters and huge variability in the results, a clear prediction of the influence of climate change is not possible, yet.
What are the contaminants in grains?
For the purpose of this review we focus on the, in grey, highlighted contaminants that are most relevant for grains, namely mycotoxins, heavy metals and the process contaminant, acrylamide. While we acknowledge residues (e.g., pesticides) may also be present as contaminants in cereals, a recent EFSA sampling report (2016) on pesticides demonstrates that 96% of samples analysed were within the limits permitted in EU legislation [27]. A global perspective on pesticides in grains may warrant a separate paper.
When was fumonisin discovered?
Fumonisins were discovered as recently as 1988 and there is currently little information on their toxicology. Fumonisin contamination is commonly found in maize and maize products. High levels of fumonisins are associated with hot and dry weather, followed by periods of high humidity [42]. F. moniliformegrowing in maize may produce fumonisin B1, a suspected human carcinogenic.
What are whole grains?
They agree largely on the statement “whole grains consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked caryopsis (kernel) after the removal of inedible parts such as the hull and husk. The principal anatomical components—the starchy endosperm, germ and bran—are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact kernel”. The Healthgrain Forum definition acknowledges in addition that some parts of the grain, such as the outermost layers, are removed during processing to eliminate potential contamination of the outer bran [6]. Grains make a significant contribution to our macro- and micro-nutrient intake and high consumption of grains, particularly whole grains, have been associated with decreased risk of developing several chronic diseases. There is a growing body of evidence showing that people who consume more whole grains have a lower risk of some chronic diseases compared with people who include few whole grains in their diet [8,9,10]. Consequently, whole grains and foods made from them, provide greater carbohydrate quality, and are increasingly recommended as replacements for foods that are made from refined grains [11].
Is whole grain food safe?
Grains are the main energy and carbohydrate sources for human nutrition globally. Governmental and non-governmental authorities recommend whole grains as a healthy food choice. The role of contaminants in (whole) grains and how to mitigate any potential risk following their consumption has not been reported. With this narrative review, we shed light on the potential human health risk from contaminants in whole grains and elaborate strategies to mitigate such risk. We found that grains represent a significant source of food-borne contaminants, the main ones being; mycotoxins including (A) aflatoxin B1; (B) ochratoxin A; (C) fumonisin B1; (D) deoxynivalenol; (E) zearalenone; toxic metals like arsenic, cadmium and lead; as well as process contaminants such as acrylamide. Whole grains usually contain more contaminants than refined products. However, whole grains also provide more nutrients that may reduce the impact of these contaminants. Strict regulatory thresholds aim to minimize the risk of contaminants to public health. The consumer can further impact on the mitigation of any risk by eating a healthy diet filled with nutrient-dense foods such as whole grains and probiotics. The risk posed by contaminants from whole grains do not outweigh the known nutritional benefits of whole grain consumption.
How many edible plants are there in the world?
Globally, there are over 50,000 edible plants. Just three of these (rice, maize and wheat) provide about 60 per cent of the world's food energy intake [1]. Grains have a long history of use by humans, dating back to prehistoric times. Admittedly, pancakes and bread were still a long way off during the Middle Stone Age; however, evidence suggests that some humans in Africa at that time (i.e., 105,000 years ago) did indeed eat cereal-based snacks [2]. Nowadays, cereal grains are food staples and represent the primary source of carbohydrates worldwide. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) forecasts that world grain utilization in 2018/19 will reach a record level of 2646 million tonnes [3].
How many servings of whole grain food per day?
Overall, studies show that consuming two to three servings of whole grain foods per day will provide health benefits, possibly reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and obesity.6 In prospective studies, the protection from these diseases that results from consuming whole grains far exceeds the protection expected from the individual nutrients and phytochemicals found in whole grains.7
Why are refined grains processed?
Refined grains have been processed (milled) to remove the bran and germ to create a finer texture and improve shelf life, but this process removes the dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. To make enriched refined grains, the B vitamins and iron are added back in. Health Benefits.
What are the barriers to eating whole grains?
Among the barriers—some real and some perceived—to increasing whole grain consumption are taste (dryness and bitterness), texture (more firm), difficulty in obtaining whole grains when eating out, cost, and time constraints when preparing whole grains at home.37 Dietitians can introduce clients and patients to products that contain smaller amounts of whole grains, which are familiar in taste and texture to refined grains yet still contribute to their intake of whole grains. RDs should recommend whole grain products, such as instant oatmeal, quinoa, whole grain couscous, and quick-cooking brown rice, which require minimal cooking time. In addition, they can help clients identify restaurants and fast-food venues that offer whole grain options.
What is the purpose of whole grains in a diet?
Whole grains are an integral part of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, a dietary pattern that the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest following to control hypertension and achieve overall good health.1,18
How many whole grain stamps are there?
There are two Whole Grain Stamps, the basic stamp and the 100% whole grain stamp, which are designed to clearly mark those products that contain either at least 8 g of whole grains per serving but may contain refined grains (the basic stamp) or at least 16 g of whole grains per serving and all of its grain ingredients are whole grain (the 100% whole grain stamp). The recommended number of grams per serving is 16 g, and the recommended number of whole grain grams per day is 48 g.
Where are phytochemicals found in whole grains?
Most of the beneficial phytochemicals in whole grains are found in the bran and germ,5 the components that often are milled out during refinement, resulting in grains composed mainly of the nutrient-poor endosperm. Refined wheat flour loses 83% of total phenolic acids, 79% of total flavonoids, 93% of ferulic acid, 78% of total zeaxanthin, ...
Why are whole grains considered a complex mixture?
Because whole grains are complex mixtures of nutrients and phytochemicals, which may work together to prevent chronic disease, no single nutrient, phytochemical, or specific combination has been identified as being responsible for their health benefits.
What are pigmented grains?
Among cereals, pigmented grains ( Fig. 1) represent an interesting category, due to the fact that - in addition to fiber – they may have a high content of potentially bioactive compounds. Recent improvements in analytical methods have allowed to detect bioactives both in their free and cell-wall bound forms, in contrast to previously used methods that detected only the free and soluble compounds. These improved approaches have shown that bioactive levels in grains are higher than previously thought, in particular when “pigmented” cereal species are considered, and when taking into account specific regions in the grain anatomy. In some cases, the overall content of bioactives in pigmented grains is similar to the ones detected in “colored” vegetables, including fruits and berries commonly regarded as main sources of these compounds ( Wu et al., 2006 ).
What are the mechanisms of fiber?
Suggested mechanisms refer to the fiber content of whole grains, which reduces glucose and insulin responses, lowers concentration of total and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, improves the functional properties of the digestive tract (binding, removing, excretion), and decreases inflammatory markers ( Aune et al., 2016b ).
How does grain affect health?
The health impacts of grain consumption depend on the degree of processing. Milling whole grains to refined grains removes the germ and bran from the endosperm. Whole grains, but not refined grains, have been associated in meta-analyses with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (Aune et al., 2016b; Zong et al., 2016 ), CHD ( Aune et al., 2016b; Ye et al., 2012 ), cancer ( Aune et al., 2016b ), type 2 diabetes ( Aune et al., 2013c; Aune et al., 2016b ), and other causes of death ( Aune et al., 2016b ). Their consumption has also been associated with reductions in overweight and obesity ( Ye et al., 2012 ). For most outcomes, risk reductions have been observed for intakes of up to seven and a half servings of 30 g each (210–225 g/day in total) ( Aune et al., 2016b ).
Why do grains turn purple?
In grains, a purple color is mainly due to cyanidin derivatives, that are typically found in the pericarp layer. The blue color is mostly due to delphinidin derivatives, most commonly present in the aleuronic layer. High concentrations of pelargonidin and catechin-tannins – along with that of carotenoids, not considered here - gives a red hue to wheat and corn seeds ( Abdel-Aal et al., 2006; Lachman et al., 2017 ). Although anthocyanins are mainly present with those layers of the grains that correspond to “bran” fractions after milling, it has to be noted that - in some cereals types and varieties - these same compounds may appear almost uniformly distributed all through the grain.
Which cereal has the highest anthocyanin content?
Table 1 presents currently available data on the anthocyanin content in a number of pigmented cereals and – whenever available – in fractions obtained from various steps of milling processes. In general, black rice and blue corn have the highest concentration of anthocyanins followed by other corn varieties and by purple wheat. However, even within the same cereal, the anthocyanin content appears to be strictly related to varietal and line issues and, in several cases, also relates to agronomic practices ( Abdel-Aal et al., 2006; Hosseinian et al., 2008; Bustos et al., 2012; Giordano et al., 2017a ).
What are the bioactive compounds in cereals?
The main bioactive compounds in pigmented cereals, in addition to phenolic acids, such as hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acid, and to lignans, are anthocyanins, a subclass of the much larger flavonoid superfamily ( Lachman et al., 2017 ). Anthocyanins are water soluble compounds which are responsible for blue, purple or red colors in plants.
What are the most abundant phenolic acids in wild rice?
Ferulic and sinapic acid were identified as the most abundant phenolic acids in wild rice ( Qiu et al., 2010 ). Acetone extracts revealed over 30 times higher antioxidant activity than white rice, and the antioxidants responsible for these were flavonoid glycosides and flavan-3-ols ( Qiu et al., 2009 ).
What percentage of participants had never heard of whole grain?
Ninety-six percent of participants had previously heard of whole grain or whole grain foods ( n = 489/507), although eighteen participants (3.5%) had never heard of them before. More than half of participants (62%; n = 393/635) were unable to comment on how many grain serves are recommended each day, although serve size information had been provided in an earlier question. When accounting for varying serve recommendations based on age and gender, only 7% ( n = 44) of participants were able to correctly identify these recommendations. Similarly, more than half of participants (62%; n = 507) were unable to recall a recommended quantity of whole grain serves (from their grain serves), and only 9% ( n = 46) correctly identified recommended serves based on their age and gender ( Table 5 ).
Is whole grain good for you?
It has been suggested that the health benefits of whole grain consumption may be attributed to the synergistic effects of the bran and germ component of whole grains, as they are rich in micronutrients, dietary fibre and phytochemicals [ 6, 7 ]. However, the complete mechanisms as to how these constituents have such health benefits remains unclear. Results from the National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey 2011–2012 (NNPAS) indicated that approximately 30% of Australians met recommended grain intake, with one-third (34%) of total grains consumed as whole grains . Whole grains made up 55% of all grain s consumed by individuals over 71 years, which was double of those aged 14–18 years (22%) [ 8 ]. Consumption of whole grains was calculated at 21 g/d for adults (19–85 years) [ 9 ], indicating inadequate whole grain consumption. However, this was similar to the level of consumption recorded in the United Kingdom [ 10 ], the United States [ 11 ], Ireland [ 12] and Singapore [ 13 ], while other countries, such as France [ 14 ], Italy [ 15] and Malaysia [ 16] have far lower intakes. Scandinavian countries have recently increased intakes, in particular Denmark, where successful promotion of whole grains, via a public-private partnership, increased consumption from 33 g/day (from 2000 to 2004) to 55 g/day (in 2011–2014) [ 17 ].
How to reduce type 2 diabetes?
Replacing refined grains with whole grains and eating at least 2 servings of whole grains daily may help to reduce type 2 diabetes risk. The fiber, nutrients, and phytochemicals in whole grains may improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism and slow the absorption of food, preventing blood sugar spikes. [8] .
What is the bran in plants?
The bran is the fiber -rich outer layer that supplies B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are natural chemical compounds in plants that have been researched for their role in disease prevention. The germ is the core of ...
How many servings of whole grain food per day?
In the Harvard-based Nurses’ Health Study, women who ate 2 to 3 servings of whole-grain products each day were 30% less likely to have a heart attack or die from heart disease over a 10-year period than women who ate less than 1 serving per week. [6]
How much rice is bad for diabetes?
Those who ate the most white rice—five or more servings a week—had a 17% higher risk of diabetes than those who ate white rice less than one time a month. Those who ate the most brown rice —two or more servings a week—had an 11% lower risk of diabetes than those who rarely ate brown rice.
Why is whole grain good for you?
By keeping the stool soft and bulky, the fiber in whole grains helps prevent constipation, a common, costly, and aggravating problem. It also helps prevent diverticular disease (diverticulosis) by decreasing pressure in the intestines. [17]
How to tell if a food is 100% whole grain?
An easy way to tell if a food product is high in 100% whole grains is to make sure it is listed first or second in the ingredient list. Or better yet, choose unprocessed whole grains: Amaranth. Kamut. Spelt. Barley.
What are the parts of whole grains?
All whole grain kernels contain three parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm. Each section houses health-promoting nutrients.