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Eating Whole Grains Linked with Lower Risk of Liver Disease

Poor diet can be a risk factor for certain types of liver diseases, so researchers conducted a meta-analysis of studies to see how whole grain intake might relate to liver disease risk. Those eating the most whole grains had a 10% lower risk of developing any chronic liver disease than those eating the least. The results were especially pronounced for a certain subgroup of serious liver diseases. Eating whole grains was linked with a 35% lower risk of developing cirrhosis (a potentially fatal form of liver damage) and a 63% lower risk of chronic liver disease mortality.
Food Funct. 2024 Sep 30;15(19):9707-9717. doi: 10.1039/d4fo03077j. (Zhang Y et al.)

Whole Wheat Promotes Resilience in Liver, Protects Against Higher Inflammation

Health not only implies being free of disease; health also takes into account how well we adapt to the stresses of everyday life, and the inevitable wear-and-tear on our bodies – in other words, resilience. To see how whole wheat might impact inflammation and resilience, 50 overweight and obese adults were randomly assigned to either 98 grams of whole wheat per day (from bread and cereal) or 98 grams of refined wheat per day for 12 weeks. Scientists then measured markers of inflammation and liver health and used modeling (the “health space” approach) to determine how resilient their bodies were to external stressors based on these findings. In this experiment, whole wheat was shown to protect against higher inflammation, and was also shown to promote resilience in the liver. 
Journal of Nutrition. 2019 Aug 27. pii: nxz177. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxz177. (Hoevenaars FPM et al.)

Whole Grains Linked with Lower Risk of Liver Cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of liver cancer. In this study of 125,455 adults in the U.S., eating more whole grains was linked with a significantly lower risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma over the 24-year study period. The results were statistically significant for whole grains overall and were not statistically significant when looking at bran intake, germ intake, or fiber from whole grains, thus indicating that the whole grain is greater than the sum of its parts.
JAMA Oncology. 2019 Jun 1;5(6):879-886. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.7159. (Yang Y et al.)

Whole Grains Linked with 37% Lower Risk of Liver Cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma, a common type of liver cancer, has been on the rise in the US, and researchers wonder if eating habits might play a role. In a study of 125,455 adults followed for 24 years, those eating the most whole grains (33g per day, or about 2 servings) were 37% less likely to develop hepatocellular carcinoma than those eating the least whole grains (7g per day, or less than half a serving). When looking at the isolated relationship of fiber, bran, and germ, the results were not statistically significant, indicating that whole grains are greater than the sum of their parts.
JAMA Oncology. 2019 Feb 21. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.7159. [Epub ahead of print] (Yang W et al.)

Switch to Whole Wheat for Better Liver Health

The liver is important for metabolism, so researchers wonder how substituting whole grains might impact liver health. To assess this relationship, 50 overweight middle-aged adults were randomly assigned to a diet with 5 servings of whole wheat foods per day or 5 servings of refined wheat foods per day for 12 weeks, and compliance was confirmed by measuring biomarkers of whole wheat intake (alkylresorcinol). The refined wheat diet significantly increased liver fat, indicating that it may contribute to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. On the other hand, the whole wheat diet prevented an increase in liver fat, and better maintained liver health.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2018 Dec 1;108(6):1264-1274. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy204. (Schutte S et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Lower Risk of Gallbladder Removal

Cholecystectomy, or the removal of the gallbladder, is a common treatment for gallstones, which affect 10-15% of the adult population. Some studies suggest that foods typical of the Western diet (high in calories, cholesterol, etc.) may increase the risk of gallstone disease. Researchers analyzed whether a healthful diet, like the Mediterranean diet, could potentially prevent cholecystectomy in a group of 64,052 French women. They found that those more closely following the Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of cholecystectomy. Specifically, a higher intake of legumes, fruit, vegetable oil, and whole grain bread was associated with a lower cholecystectomy risk, and a higher intake of ham was associated with a higher risk.
American Journal of Gastroenterology. 25 July 2017. [Epub ahead of print.] (Barré A et al.)

Antioxidant Activity Highest in Sprouted Brown Rice

In an animal study in Malaysia, scientists compared the antioxidant activity in white rice, brown rice and sprouted brown rice. While brown rice fared better than white rice, it was the sprouted brown rice that was found to have the highest antioxidant activity. Additionally, researchers found that sprouted brown rice lowered the level of liver enzymes associated with liver toxicity (a side effect of some cholesterol lowering medications).
Food Chemistry. 2013 November 15;141(2):1306-12. (Mohd Esa N et al.)

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Whole Grains

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is estimated to affect 20-46% of the population in Westernized countries, and 90% of obese people. With obesity rising, it’s essential to provide dietary guidelines for those at risk for, or diagnosed with, NAFLD. Because research shows that diets rich in whole grains reduce many of the risk factors for NAFLD, scientists working with the Nestlé Research Center recommend that “people with or at risk of NAFLD should choose whole grains over refined grains in their diet.”
International Journal of Endocrinology. 2013; 2013: article ID 585876 (Ross et al.)