Another reason to eat whole grains

People who consume several servings of whole grains per day while limiting daily intake of refined grains appear to have less of a type of fat tissue thought to play a key role in triggering cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.

This was true even after accounting for other lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol intake, fruit and vegetable intake, percentage of calories from fat and physical activity.

The Tufts University researchers observed that participants who consumed, on average, three daily servings of whole grains but continued to eat many refined grains did not demonstrate improvement. 

“Whole grain consumption did not appear to help if refined grain intake exceeded four or more servings per day,” said one author of the study.  “This result implies that it is important to make substitutions in the diet, rather than simply adding whole grain foods. For example, choosing to cook with brown rice instead of white or making a sandwich with whole grain bread instead of white bread.”