Which grains are good for the heart and which are bad

Grain is one of the most important foods in Germany. Whether in the form of bread, pasta or pizza, it ends up on our menu almost every day. Now a study has found which grains are best for heart health.

Bread is the Germans’ favorite staple food. And so there are no more types of bread in any country. Because according to the German Bakery Trade, there are around 3,200 bread specialties in Germany alone.1 Different types of grain are used. But not every grain is good for the heart, as a new study with heart patients found out.

Grain consumption may have an impact on arteriosclerosis risk

A new study, presented just this week at a congress of theAmerican College for Cardiology Middle East‘ will be presented in Dubai, examined which grains are good for the heart and which are bad. Like the health portalHealthlineAn Iranian research team reportedly recruited 2,099 people suffering from coronary artery disease.

This is a disease of the coronary arteries as a result of arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Deposits of fat and lime clog the arteries and lead to circulatory disorders. In the worst-case scenario, this can trigger a heart attack or stroke over the years.

According to the Robert Koch Institute, the disease affects about 6.7 percent of women and 6 percent of men in Germany.2 Most cases affect people over the age of 45, with the highest proportion being over the age of 75: 16 percent for women and 24.1 percent for men.

Also interesting: What are pseudocereals and what are the health benefits of each variety?

Premature arteriosclerosis can occur from the age of 45

In some cases, however, coronary artery disease can begin as early as midlife. In men from around the age of 45 and in women from the age of 55, as studies show.3 Then one speaks of premature arteriosclerosis or atherosclerosis, which is counted among the diseases of civilization. The risk factors for this are as follows:

  • Smoking
  • high cholesterol
  • high blood pressure
  • Diabetes

Also interesting: Atherosclerosis – how do you recognize clogged arteries?

Eating too much white flour can be bad for your heart

In the current study, the health data of patients with premature arteriosclerosis were compared with the data of 1168 healthy people. All subjects were asked to state how much and what type of grain they usually consumed. The evaluation of the data showed that a high consumption of refined grains (e.g. white flour) is associated with an increased risk of arteriosclerosis in middle age. On the other hand, whole grains can even reduce the risk, as the researchers report.

The researchers were unable to explain why this is the case in the study. However, there are many possible reasons why whole grains may be beneficial for heart health:

  • In contrast to refined cereals, whole grain cereals still contain all the important nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and healthy fatty acids.
  • Dietary fiber will help the unhealthy LDL cholesterol in the body, which protects against hardening of the arteries.
  • Sugar is often added to white flour products, which also has a negative effect on health. Therefore: it is better to use whole grain products without added sugar.

Also interesting: The influence of western diet on colorectal cancer risk

Sources

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