Fresh-Baked Bread (photo by Kevin Rosseel, courtesy of morguefile.com)

Evidence abounds that eating whole grains can be beneficial to your health. They are especially important for keeping a healthy heart and be a valuable part of weight control and combating obesity.

In a study of obese adults, researchers from Pennsylvania State University found that those who increased their whole-grain intake shed more belly fat and reduced inflammation in the blood vessels. Joining all the existing evidence is a new study from researchers at Harvard University. The new study’s conclusion:

Higher whole-grain intake was associated with a reduced risk of hypertension in middle-aged and older women, which suggests a potential role for increasing whole-grain intake in the primary prevention of hypertension and its cardiovascular complications.

Whole grains retain valuable nutrients and fibers that get stripped out of the white flour baked into white bread. The rich flavor an hearty texture of whole wheat gets eliminated as well. Similarly, brown rice is a whole grain choice, while white rice is not.

Whole grains should be a delicious part of your everyday diet. For one thing, popcorn is a whole grain. Try oatmeal with fresh fruit, cinnamon, and a teaspoon of honey. Fresh-baked, whole grain semolina bread is a wonderful accompaniment to a favorite salad. Mushroom and barley soup is a tasty way to get some whole grains without any animal fat. Whole grain pasta with a tomato sauce seasoned (garlic, oregano, basil, etc.) to your taste and served with steamed broccoli, spinach, or green beans is a terrific meal. Squeeze a little fresh lemon and grind some black pepper on those veggies.

To view previous posts on the topic go to:

1. More Great News about Whole Grains
2. Whole Grains Battle Heart Disease & Stroke
3. Whole Grains for a Healthy Heart

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