A recent study from Tufts University has highlighted the health benefits of eating whole grains, showing that middle- and older-aged adults who consume at least three servings of whole grains daily experience smaller increases in waist size, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels over time.
These findings suggest that whole grains can play an important role in managing risk factors for heart disease as people age.
The research analyzed data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, a long-term project that began in the 1970s to track heart disease risk factors.
The study followed 3,100 participants, mostly white adults in their mid-50s at the start, over a median period of 18 years.
Researchers focused on the impact of whole- and refined-grain consumption on five key heart disease risk factors: waist size, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, triglycerides, and HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Participants were divided into four groups based on their whole-grain intake, ranging from less than half a serving per day to three or more servings daily. Examples of one serving include a slice of whole-grain bread, half a cup of rolled oats, or half a cup of brown rice.
The study used the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 as a reference, which recommends three or more servings of whole grains each day.
The results showed significant differences in health outcomes between those who consumed more whole grains and those who ate less.
Over time, people with lower whole-grain intake had an average waist size increase of over 1 inch, compared to just about ½ inch for those who consumed three or more servings daily.
Additionally, blood sugar levels and systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) rose more in the low-intake group than in the high-intake group.
The study also found benefits associated with reducing refined-grain intake. Participants who consumed fewer refined grains, such as white bread or white rice, showed smaller increases in waist size and greater decreases in triglyceride levels over four-year periods.
These findings emphasize that whole grains do more than help with weight management—they also help maintain healthier blood sugar and blood pressure levels over time.
Since both factors are critical for reducing the risk of heart disease, adding whole grains to a daily diet may be an effective way to protect long-term health.
This research underscores the importance of choosing whole grains as part of a balanced diet, especially as we age.
Small dietary changes, like swapping white bread for whole-grain bread or incorporating oats or brown rice into meals, can make a meaningful difference in managing heart disease risk factors and promoting overall wellness.
The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition and led by Caleigh M. Sawicki, provides further evidence that whole grains are a valuable part of a healthy lifestyle for maintaining heart health and preventing chronic conditions.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and Vitamin K2 could help reduce heart disease risk.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about how to remove plaques that cause heart attacks, and results showing a new way to prevent heart attacks, strokes.
