Whole grains

Research analyzing the cost of healthy eating suggests that money spent on whole grains is money well spent. In a recent study, scientists collected 3-day food records from 252 youth with type 1 diabetes, then graded them for diet quality and nutrient density. The researchers then calculated the food costs for each participant, to examine the relationship between diet quality and diet cost. The scientists found that higher quality diets came in at a comparable cost to lower quality diets (only $0.68 more per day), as those with the healthiest diets allocated more of their money to whole grains, produce, lean meat, and low-fat dairy, while spending less money on high-fat meat and high-fat dairy.  Based on their results, the researchers concluded, “that cost need not be an insurmountable barrier to more healthful eating,” and that “it is possible to improve diet quality without undue financial burden.”
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2014 September 26. Pii: S2212-2672(14)01218-0. [Epub ahead of print] (Nansel T et al.)

A study commissioned by the Australian Breakfast Cereal Manufacturers Forum analyzed 232 articles to investigate the health benefits and risks of eating cereal. The researchers found that while breakfast cereal consumption of any type is associated with diets higher in vitamins and minerals and lower in fat and a lower body mass index and less risk of being overweight or obese, whole grain breakfast cereal consumption provided even more benefits. Specifically, the study found that oat and barley based cereals can help lower cholesterol, and whole-grain or high-fiber breakfast cereals are associated with a lower risk of diabetes and higher intakes of protein, fiber, niacin, folate, calcium, and zinc. Additionally, the study found that those who eat breakfast cereal regularly have higher whole-grain consumption per day.
Advances in Nutrition. 2014 Sep 15;5(5):636S-73S, (Williams PG et al.)

Dietary fiber is a healthy nutrient found in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and beans. But is the source of fiber important? New research says yes. Korean scientists analyzed studies following over 900,000 people to determine the relationship between fiber intake and mortality. Not surprisingly, those with the highest fiber intake (about 27g/day) had a 23% lower risk of death than those with the lowest fiber intake (about 15g/day). However, upon closer inspection, the researchers found that these results were largely dependent on the foods eaten. As fiber from grains increased, mortality significantly decreased. A similar, although much weaker, relationship was observed for fiber from beans and vegetables, while no association was observed for fruit fiber.
American Journal of Epidemiology. 2014 Sep 15;180(6):565-73. (Kim Y et al).

The new school lunch regulations represent large changes to the food environment of children, so it’s important to study how kids respond to food that’s provided to them. In an effort to see how changing the food environment affects the eating habits of kids, researchers assigned 83 middle schoolers to either a whole grain or refined grain group for six weeks. Participants and their families were given weekly grains (like pasta or cereal) based on their assigned group, and participants also got grain snacks at school. By providing children and their families with whole grain foods,researchers observed that the whole grain group was able to increase their whole grain intake from 1 to 4 servings per day. These results suggest that changing the food environment of children is a successful way to get them to eat more healthy foods, like whole grains.
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2014 Sep;114(9):1417-23. (Radford A et al.)

Restaurateurs hesitant to offer healthier alternatives might want to think again. Nutrition researchers at the University of Minnesota conducted taste tests and studied plate waste data with 120 kids in school cafeterias and 394 kids in restaurants. Not only did they find that children consumed as much of the whole-grain pizza as the refined-grain pizza, but they also discovered that liking ratings for the pizza did not differ by crust type. Based on their research, the authors concluded that “the impact on whole-grain intake could be substantial if large, national restaurant chains served pizza made with whole-grain crust.”
Public Health Nutrition. 2014 Aug 16:1-5 [Epub ahead of print] (Tritt A et al.)

Studies suggest a relationship between whole grain intake and insulin action. In a study in Italy, 53 adults (40-65 years old) with metabolic syndrome followed one of two different 12-week diets. One group consumed their standard diet, but replacing all grains with whole grains, and one group consumed their standard diet, but choosing only refined cereals. Researchers found that the whole grain group had significantly lower levels of post-meal insulin (29%) and triglyceride levels (43%) than before the 12-week test period, thus reducing the risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Based on these findings, the researchers suggest that “the whole-grain diet was able to improve insulin action” after meals, thus providing clues about how whole grain diets reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. 2014 August;24(8):837-844. (R. Giacco et al.)

While fruits and vegetables are known as sources of healthy antioxidants and phenolic compounds, research increasingly shows that whole grains contain them too. In this review, researchers analyzed the total phenolic contents, phenolic acid profile and antioxidant activity of several whole grains, including wheat, corn, rice, barley, sorghum, rye, oat and millet. The review shows that whole grains contain a number of phytochemicals (including antioxidants) and significantly exhibit antioxidant activity. Researchers conclude that the consumption of whole grains is considered to have significant health benefits including prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer because of the contribution of phenolic compounds. 
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2014 July 30. [epub ahead of print] (Van Hung P et al.)

What you eat today may potentially affect your health years later. As part of a prospective study in Germany, researchers analyzed the relationship between the quality of carbohydrates eaten in adolescence and inflammatory markers in young adulthood. The analysis was based on 205 participants (113 girls and 92 boys) with at least two 3-day weighed dietary records during puberty, and blood samples in younger adulthood (18-36 y). Researchers found that eating fewer whole grains and more high Glycemic Index carbohydrates during puberty is predictive of higher interleukin 6 concentrations (a marker of inflammation) in adulthood. 
The Journal of Nutrition. 2014 July 30. [epub ahead of print] (Goletzke et al.)

In 2009, the foods subsidized under the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program changed to include fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains, among other changes. Researchers in New Orleans visited small stores in that city when the change was introduced, and then a year later. They found that just 3.7% of stores participating in the WIC program carried whole wheat bread or brown rice in 2009, while 70.4% offered whole wheat bread a year later and 92.6% offered brown rice. Most of this change can be attributed to the impact of the WIC program, as only 1.5% of non-WIC participating small stores carried whole wheat bread in 2010, and only 12.1% carried brown rice. These changes in availability can make healthier choices available not just to people in the WIC program, but to everyone in that neighborhood.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2014 May-Jun;46(3 Suppl);S38-44. (Rose et al.)

Researchers at General Mills teamed up with the University of Minnesota to explore the relationship between whole grain consumption and intake of total dietary fiber. Using NHANES data from 2009-10, they determined that people who eat more whole grain do indeed have higher dietary fiber intake; people who eat fewer whole grains do not make up their fiber shortfall from other sources. Adults obtained most of their whole grains from breads (27%), RTE cereals (20%) and oatmeal (21%), while the breakdown for children and adolescents was breads (24%), RTE cereals (25%) and oatmeal (12%).
Nutrition Research. 2014 Mar;34)3):226-34. (Reicks et al.)