RCT Shows Whole Grains Reduce Blood Pressure
In a randomized control trial of 233 healthy, middle-aged volunteers, subjects spent 4 weeks consuming a run-in diet of refined grains, and then were randomly allocated to the control diet (refined), a whole wheat diet, or a whole wheat and whole oats diet for 12 weeks. Each group consumed 3 daily portions of the specific grains. Systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were significantly reduced by 6 and 3 mm HG, respectively, in the whole grains groups compared to the control refined group. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen concluded that this blood pressure decrease would decrease the incidence of coronary artery disease and stroke by 15-25% respectively.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October 2010; 92(4):733-40. Epub August 4, 2010
