A new study from Tufts University has found that eating whole grains every day can help protect your health as you get older.
This is especially helpful for people in their 50s and beyond. The research shows that eating at least three servings of whole grains each day can slow down increases in waist size, blood sugar, and blood pressure. These three things are closely linked to your risk of heart disease.
The study was part of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, a long-term research project that began in the 1970s. More than 3,100 people, most in their mid-50s, were tracked for nearly 18 years.
Researchers compared how eating whole grains, like oats, brown rice, and whole-grain bread, measured up against eating refined grains, such as white bread and pasta.
They looked at five important health markers: waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, triglycerides (a kind of fat in the blood), and HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind). The results were clear.
People who ate at least three servings of whole grains daily had much smaller increases in waist size compared to those who ate fewer whole grains. While the group that ate fewer whole grains gained more than an inch in waist size over the study period, the group eating more whole grains only gained half an inch.
There were other benefits too. Those who ate more whole grains also had smaller increases in blood pressure and blood sugar—two key factors that affect heart health.
And it wasn’t just about what people added to their diets. Cutting back on refined grains like white bread and pasta helped too. People who ate fewer refined grains saw smaller increases in waist size and bigger drops in triglycerides.
Why are whole grains so helpful? Unlike refined grains, which lose many nutrients during processing, whole grains keep their natural fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients help control blood sugar, support good digestion, and reduce swelling in the body, which is known as inflammation.
Examples of one serving of whole grains include one slice of whole-grain bread, half a cup of cooked brown rice, or half a cup of rolled oats. Health experts in the U.S. recommend getting at least three servings like these every day. This study supports that advice with strong evidence.
In short, adding whole grains to your meals is a simple and powerful way to improve your health over time. It helps you manage your weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar—all of which lower your risk for heart disease and other long-term illnesses.
The research, published in the Journal of Nutrition and led by Caleigh M. Sawicki, shows that small food choices really do add up.
As we age, switching from refined grains to whole grains can be one of the easiest and most helpful ways to stay healthy and active.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about why vitamin K is so important for older people, and this snack food may harm your heart rhythm.
For more health information, please see recent studies about vitamin that may protect you from type 2 diabetes, and results showing this common chemical in food may harm your blood pressure.
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