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Almost a fifth of us still not eating ANY whole grains
Experts at Newcastle University are calling for the introduction of guidelines around the amount of whole grains we should be eating after it was revealed almost one in five of us are not eating any at all.
The findings, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, show that over 80 per cent of us are not eating enough whole grains - equivalent to three slices of wholemeal bread - for them to have a beneficial effect on our health.
Higher whole grain intake has been linked to lower body weight, BMI and cholesterol levels and there is strong evidence they reduce the risk of several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
Analysing data obtained through the National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2008-2011, the Newcastle University team show that people eating higher levels of whole grain may also have a 'less stressed' immune system, with a lower white blood cell count and lower levels of C-reactive protein - or CRP - which is a marker of inflammation and 'a body under stress'.
Now the team - led by Professor Chris Seal and PhD student Kay Mann - are calling for the introduction of recommended daily amounts of whole grain similar to the US and Denmark.
"The first UK public advice around the benefits of whole grains was published in 2007*" explains Kay. "This gave people advice about what to look for on food labels and recommended choosing 'brown' varieties, but what our research shows is that since then very little has changed."
"The amount of whole grain we eat in the UK is still very low - an average of around 20g a day - compared with Denmark where the average daily intake is around 55g.
"In the UK, we tend to eat a lot of white bread, rice, pasta and cereals and lots of processed foods, all of which have no - or very little - whole grain in them and also tend to be higher in fat and sugar. Also, because the refined foods are less filling we tend to eat more of them.
Read full article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/
Experts at Newcastle University are calling for the introduction of guidelines around the amount of whole grains we should be eating after it was revealed almost one in five of us are not eating any at all.
The findings, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, show that over 80 per cent of us are not eating enough whole grains - equivalent to three slices of wholemeal bread - for them to have a beneficial effect on our health.
Higher whole grain intake has been linked to lower body weight, BMI and cholesterol levels and there is strong evidence they reduce the risk of several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
Analysing data obtained through the National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2008-2011, the Newcastle University team show that people eating higher levels of whole grain may also have a 'less stressed' immune system, with a lower white blood cell count and lower levels of C-reactive protein - or CRP - which is a marker of inflammation and 'a body under stress'.
Now the team - led by Professor Chris Seal and PhD student Kay Mann - are calling for the introduction of recommended daily amounts of whole grain similar to the US and Denmark.
"The first UK public advice around the benefits of whole grains was published in 2007*" explains Kay. "This gave people advice about what to look for on food labels and recommended choosing 'brown' varieties, but what our research shows is that since then very little has changed."
"The amount of whole grain we eat in the UK is still very low - an average of around 20g a day - compared with Denmark where the average daily intake is around 55g.
"In the UK, we tend to eat a lot of white bread, rice, pasta and cereals and lots of processed foods, all of which have no - or very little - whole grain in them and also tend to be higher in fat and sugar. Also, because the refined foods are less filling we tend to eat more of them.
Read full article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/
