Whole Grains Help you Live Longer

12/05/06 A long-term study has found that eating whole grain foods can prevent premature death.

The Dietitians Association of Australia National Conference is being told that a ten-year study of women aged between 55 and 69 years has revealed that women who eat about 10 servings of whole grain foods per week live longer, with a risk reduction at any given age for diseases such as heart disease and diabetes on the order of 15-35%.

Whole grains -- the bran and the germ retained in the kernel processed for eating, rather than just the starch that’s left in refined grains -- contain fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  They move carcinogens through the intestines faster, lowering cancer and heart disease rates and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels steady.

Nutrition expert, Professor David Jacobs, from the School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis USA, says whole grain foods such as dark whole grain bread and brown rice, and even popcorn, can lengthen your life. 

Dr Jacobs says other popular snack foods like biscuits, if they are made from whole grain, can also contribute to your health as long as the added sugar and trans fats don’t cancel out the whole grain benefit.

‘If you die at the age of 60 instead of 75 you rob yourself of companionship with your spouse, community, years of good living and time with your grandchildren. Why wouldn’t people want to make this change when the probable reward is staying with the people you love longer?’ says Professor Jacobs, who will address the conference in Sydney on May 12th.

Spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia and Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Susie Burell, says, ‘the best way to eat more whole grains is to choose wholegrain breakfast cereal, bread and crackers as well as brown rice, pasta and legumes and to look for ingredients such as rolled and cracked wheat. And don’t forget popcorn as a healthy wholegrain snack.’