A comparison of the dietary habits of 1,168 healthy people and 1,369 patients with coronary artery disease shows that people with a higher consumption of white flour products were more likely to develop coronary artery disease before the age of 55 (men) or 65 (women) than people who preferred whole grain products .
“A diet high in white flour products can be considered similarly unhealthy as a diet high in sugar and unhealthy fats,” said Dr. Mohammad Amin Khajavi Gaskarei from the University of Isfahan in Iran, who presented the results at a joint meeting of cardiologists from the United States and the United Arab Emirates in Dubai.
Early coronary heart disease often causes no symptoms at first, but as it progresses it can lead to chest pain (angina pectoris), a heart attack and a narrowing or tearing of the artery wall. Risk factors include smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. Whole grain flours and products contain the entire grain, while white flour products are ground into flour or semolina without the outer hulls to improve shelf life. However, important nutrients are lost in the process. In general, cardiologists recommend a diet high in vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, and fish.