In 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first health claim for whole grains. Now that more than a decade has passed, the evidence for the health benefits of whole grains has only gotten stronger.
Health Claim for Oats: January 1997
Throughout the nineties, more and more research studies showed a correlation between whole grains and heart health. At the time, fiber was recognized as the main benefit of whole grains, so the claim allowed by the FDA in early 1997 was:
Soluble fiber from oatmeal, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Has the evidence held up in the ensuring decade? ABSOLUTELY! An article published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine (Volume 2, Issue 1; 51-57) reviewed more recent studies and found that the evidence linking oatmeal and heart health has become more solid by the year.
In fact the article, authored by WGC Scientific Advisor James W. Anderson, MD, and Mark B. Andron, PhD, goes beyond the initial evidence to show how oats may help control the risk of diabetes, weight gain and high blood pressure.
You can also read about the 1999 and 2003 health claims for whole grains.
Read the latest health studies
As always, we post all the latest research about health and whole grains right here on our website. If you’re interested in following ongoing research on all the benefits of whole grains, bookmark our health studies page and visit it often.
January is Oatmeal month
Okay, okay. Reading about the latest health studies is all well and good, but actions speak louder than words. January is Oatmeal Month, and it’s a great time, in mid-winter, to cook up a warm bowl of creamy oatmeal. Steel cut oats… rolled oats… quick oats… instant oats… They’re ALL whole grain, good for you and good-tasting.