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Whole Grains Linked with Good Metabolic Health, Especially for Heart Disease and Diabetes

Whole grains are an important part of a healthy diet, and researchers wanted to take a closer look at the relationship between eating whole grains and cardiometabolic health. In this study, researchers reviewed a collection of 25 systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (the “gold standard” in nutrition research) that addressed the relationship between whole grain consumption and metabolic health. Across the dataset, it was clear that “[whole grain] consumption plays a crucial role in improving key aspects of metabolic health,” especially in diabetes management, cholesterol management, blood pressure management, obesity and inflammation.
Food Funct. 2025 Oct 29. doi: 10.1039/d5fo03240g. Online ahead of print. (Huang H et al.)

Whole Grains Linked with Healthier Aging

Fad diets that replace high-quality carbohydrates like whole grains with meat pose a risk for aging down the road. In a study of 47,513 women, those eating the most high-quality carbohydrates (such as whole grains) at midlife were 31 percent more likely to age healthfully (free of chronic disease, cognitive impairments or poor mental health) 30 years later than those eating the fewest high-quality carbohydrates. Replacing just 5 percent of calories from refined carbohydrates, animal protein or total fat with high quality carbohydrates like whole grains was linked with an 8-16 percent higher likelihood of healthful aging. The study also found benefits related to higher-carbohydrate diets and higher fiber intake, as well as increased risks with refined carbohydrate intake.
JAMA Netw Open. 2025 May 1;8(5):e2511056. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.11056. (Korat AVA et al.)

Whole Grains Linked with Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

When it comes to reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes, a diet with healthy carbohydrates should be a key part of your nutrition playbook. In this review, researchers analyzed 67 studies related to food groups and risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes mortality. A high intake of whole grains was linked with a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes, with similar (though no quite as strong) tendencies for fruit and vegetable intake. A high intake of red meat, processed meat, and/or sugar sweetened beverages were all linked with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. For other food groups, the risk of type 2 diabetes wasn’t statistically significant in either direction.
J Nutr. 2025 Mar 21:S0022-3166(25)00173-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.03.021. (Banjarnahor RL et al.)

Eating 1 More Ounce of Whole Grains Daily Could Save Billions in Healthcare Costs and Reduce Carbon Emissions

China is the second most populous country in the world, meaning that dietary shifts at a national level could have drastic health, climate, and even financial impacts. In this modeling study, researchers estimated that if all adults in China were to eat about 1 more ounce of whole grains per day, the total indirect and direct healthcare savings related to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and colorectal cancer alone would be an estimated $56.37 billion annually. Further, because whole wheat flour and brown rice tend to have lower carbon footprints than their refined counterparts, eating 1 more ounce of whole grains per day is projected to reduce carbon emissions by up to 5.72 million tons.
Journal of Integrative Agriculture. 2024 Aug. 23(8):2842-2852. doi: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.12.006. (Zhang X et al.)

Whole Grains Linked with Improvements in Diabetes

Healthy carbohydrates like whole grains are part of the solution, not the problem, when it comes to diabetes. In this study, researchers analyzed 29 randomized controlled trials (the gold standard of nutrition research) to see how whole grains and ancient grains might impact health outcomes in people with diabetes. They found that brown rice significantly improved HbA1c (a measure of blood sugar control over time) and BMI (a measure of weight based on height), that oats significantly improved cholesterol, and that millet significantly improved body weight. However, given the different grains and research methods used, it was difficult for the researchers to draw broad conclusions across the whole group of grains, indicating that more research is needed to understand these effects. 
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2024 May;34(5):1110-1128. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2024.03.005. Epub 2024 Mar 7. (Magi CE et al.)

More Than 1/4 Global Cases of Type 2 Diabetes Attributed to Low Whole Grain Intake

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases around the world, impacting millions of people. In this study, researchers developed risk-assessment models to estimate how much various dietary habits contribute to type 2 diabetes risk in 184 countries around the world. The largest burden (26.1%) of type 2 diabetes was attributed to low whole grain intake. Other factors contributing to high type 2 diabetes burden included high intake of refined rice and wheat (24.6%) and high intake of processed meat (20.3%).
Nat Med. 2023 Apr;29(4):982-995. doi: 10.1038/s41591-023-02278-8. Epub 2023 Apr 17. (O’Hearn M et al.)

Eating More Whole Grains Could Save Millions in Diabetes Related Healthcare Costs

Eating more whole grains could lead to substantial savings in healthcare costs, even in countries where whole grains are already a regular part of the diet. In this study, researchers created models to analyze how eating more whole grains relates to type 2 diabetes for people in Finland, and then quantified the resulting healthcare costs as well as costs related to work absences. They found that increasing the number of Finnish people who eat whole grains daily and/or increasing the number of servings of whole grains eaten by habitual whole grain consumers in Finland could lead to a savings of 286-989 million Euros over a 10-year period. Additionally, the researchers estimate that these modest increases in whole grain consumption could substantially reduce disease burden (as measured by saving 1,323-154,094 quality adjusted life years). 
Nutrients. 2021 Oct 13;13(10):3583. doi: 10.3390/nu13103583. (Martikainen J et al.)

Sorghum Linked with Many Health Benefits

Sorghum is a nutritious ancient grain with a low environmental footprint. In this review, researchers analyzed 16 intervention studies about sorghum and health, and found that eating sorghum may benefit blood sugar, weight management, satiety, and oxidative stress. Sorghum’s nutritional benefits and culinary versatility suggest that this grain may be an important part of future food innovations.
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2021 Jul 30;1-19. doi:10.1080/10408398.2021.1944976. Online ahead of print. (Ducksbury C et al.)

Whole Grains Linked with Better Maintenance of Waist Size, Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar

Larger waist sizes (as measured by waist circumference), high blood pressure, and high triglycerides are all signs of potential heart disease down the road, so researchers wonder how whole grains might play a role in these risk factors. In a study of 3,121 adults (average age 55), researchers analyzed the types of grain foods they ate and their health markers to see how different types of grains might relate to cardiometabolic risk. While all study participants got larger around the waist over the 18-year study period, eating the most whole grains (at least 48 grams whole grain per day, or at least 3 full servings) was linked with significantly smaller increases in waist size compared with eating the least whole grains (less than 8 grams whole grain per day, or less than a half serving). Additionally, eating more whole grains was also linked with significantly smaller increases in fasting blood sugar and systolic blood pressure, while eating more refined grains (4+ servings per day) was linked with greater increases in waist size and a smaller decline in triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood).
Journal of Nutrition. 2021 Jul 13;nxab177. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxab177. (Sawicki CM et al.)

Meeting Australian Whole Grain Recommendations in Australia Could Save Over 1.4 billion AUD

Currently, Australian adults are only eating about 21 grams of whole grain per day. In this study, researchers quantified the savings in healthcare and reduction of lost productivity costs associated with a reduction in type 2 diabetes and heart disease through meeting the 48 grams per day whole grain recommendation. If 100% of the Australian adult population were to meet this whole grain goal, researchers estimate a savings of up to 750.7 million Australian dollars (AUD) in healthcare and lost productivity costs for type 2 diabetes, and an additional 717.4 million AUD in healthcare and lost productivity costs for heart disease, totaling more than a 1.4 billion AUD savings. On the low end, even if only 5% or 15% of Australian adults meet the 48 grams per day whole grain goal, there would still be an estimated savings total of 73.4 million AUD to 220.2 million AUD, respectively in healthcare and lost productivity costs related to both conditions.
Nutrients. 2021 May 29;13(6):1855. doi: 10.3390/nu13061855. (Abdullah MMH et al.)

Switching to Whole Grains Can Improve Cholesterol, Blood Sugar Control, and Inflammation

Randomized controlled trials are the “gold standard” of nutrition research as they can be used to establish cause and effect. In this article, researchers analyzed more than 20 randomized controlled trials to see how replacing refined grains with whole grains can impact health. They found that for adults both with and without risk factors of heart disease, substituting whole grains for refined can improve total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c (a measure of blood sugar control), and C-reactive protein (a measure of inflammation). 
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2020 Nov;120(11):1859-1883.e31. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2020.06.021. (Marshall S et al.)

Whole Grains Linked with Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

In a large study of nearly 200,000 US adults, those eating whole grains most frequently had a 29% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes across the approximately 30-year study period than those rarely or never eating whole grains, even after adjusting for other lifestyle factors. When looking at specific whole grain foods, common foods like whole grain breakfast cereal, oatmeal, whole grain bread, and brown rice were all linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The exception was popcorn, which was linked with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes when eaten more than once per day, perhaps due to its association with butter sauces or sugary flavorings.
BMJ. 2020 Jul 8;370:m2206. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m2206. (Hu Y et al.)

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