With all the good things that whole grains contain, it’s easy to see why they make
up an important part of a healthy diet. In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
encourage the intake of whole grain foods because they are related to important
health benefits.
Scientific evidence shows that the benefits of whole grain really
add up. Including whole grain as part of a healthy diet may:
- Lead to a healthier heart. Heart-healthy diets rich in whole grain foods can reduce
the risk of heart disease.
- Help reduce the risk of certain types of cancers. Regular consumption of whole
grains as part of a low-fat diet reduces the risk for some cancers, especially cancers
of the stomach and colon.
- Play a role in diabetes management. Making healthy choices, like including whole
grain foods, is recommended as part of a diabetic diet by The American Diabetes
Association.
- Help keep you regular and your digestive tract running smoothly. Fiber from whole
grains promotes regularity and keeps the intestines working smoothly to help maintain
good digestive health.
- Help fill you up, not out, especially as you age. A growing body of evidence supports
that people who eat more whole grain tend to have healthier body weights and gain
less weight over time than those who don’t. This can be important for long-term
weight management.
The health benefits of whole grains can’t be pinpointed to one particular component
of the grain — it’s the “whole grain package” that makes the difference.