We know that healthy microbes are present in yogurt and other fermented foods, but research is showing that these friendly bacteria are actually present all throughout healthy diets. Researchers at the University of California, Davis measured the microbes in meals from three common diets: the standard American diet (consisting of fast food and convenience foods, and no whole grains), a vegan diet (which included oatmeal and peanut butter, a vegetable and tofu soup with soba noodles, and a Portobello burger on a whole wheat bun), and a healthy diet based on the USDA dietary guidelines (which included whole grain cereal with fruit and yogurt, a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, and a quinoa, chicken, and vegetable dinner). Researchers found that the microbe level in both whole grain diets outnumbered that of the standard American diet lacking in whole grains. The USDA diet had 1.3 billion microbes per day, the vegan diet had 6 million microbes per day, and the standard American diet had only 1.4 million microbes per day. While it’s unclear whether the benefit can be traced directly to whole grains or to a combination of interacting factors, this study points to the overall benefits of a healthy diet including whole grains.
PeerJ. 2014 Dec 9. (Lang J M et al.)

Whole grains are starting to gain recognition as being rich sources of antioxidants, but many wonder if these antioxidants are affected during processing, such as bread baking. To test this theory, scientists at the University of Maryland measured phenolic acid (antioxidant) content in flour, dough, and bread fractions from three whole and refined wheat varieties. As expected, “all phenolic acids measured were more abundant in whole wheat than refined samples.” The researchers also found no significant change in antioxidant levels after the breads were baked. “Thus, the potential phytochemical health benefits of total phenolic acids appear to be preserved during bread baking.”
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2014 Oct 20 [Epub ahead of print] (Lu Y 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.)

Wondering what to have for breakfast? Researchers in Sweden, where rye has been the go-to grain for centuries, set out to compare two breakfast bread choices: whole grain rye crisp bread and (refined) white wheat bread. Although subjects ate similar amounts of each food for breakfast, they reported higher fullness, lower hunger, and less desire to eat after consuming the rye crisp than after eating the white bread. When study participants were allowed to eat as much as they wanted at lunch later that day, those who ate rye crisp for breakfast ate about 8% fewer calories at lunch.
Nutrition Journal. 2014 Mar 25;13(1):26. (Forsberg et al.)

Scientists at the Danish Cancer Society Research Center collaborated on a study to investigate the link between whole grain intake and colorectal cancer. Rather than rely on whole grain intake estimation, they measured levels of alkylresorcinols, which are biomarkers of whole grain rye and wheat intake, in 1372 colorectal cancer patients and an equal number of controls. They found that those with the highest whole grain intake had the lowest risk of distal colon cancer, but did not find a correlation with colon cancer overall, with proximal colon cancer or with rectal cancer.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2013 Dec 7 [Epub ahead of print] (Kyrø et al.)