Whole Grains Lower Hypertension

By: Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.

Men who are interested in lowering their blood pressure should switch from refined to whole grains. In a study from Harvard School of Public Health, whole grain intakes were measured in a group of 51,529 men ages 40- to 75-years-old enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. A total of 9, 227 men developed hypertension during the subsequent 18 years. Those men who ate the most whole grains had a 19% lower risk of developing hypertension compared to men who ate little or no whole grains. Researchers at Tufts University found that people who ate whole grains had a lower percent body fat and abdominal fat compared to people who ate few if any whole grains.

In Perspective: Whole grains are good for us, but finding them in the store is not as easy as you might think. Just because a product is laced with a dusting of whole grains does not turn junk into a health food. Look for grains that say “100% whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” on the label. Also, read the ingredient list and choose only products made from whole grains, such as whole wheat, oats, brown rice, or bulgur. The word “wheat” in the ingredient list means white flour, not whole wheat.

Flint A, Hu F, Glynn R, et al: Whole grains and incident hypertension in men. American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition 2009;90:493-498. McKeown N, Yoshida M, Shea M, et al: Whole-grain intake and cereal fiber are associated with lower abdominal adiposity in older adults. Journal of Nutrition 2009;139:1950-1955.

What Will You Choose?

Many cereal companies try to trick buyers by putting labels on the boxes such as, "No Cholesterol!", "Natural Fruit Flavors", "Whole Grains", "Corn", "Fruit-Flavored", or "Corn Puffs". Watch out for this kind of labeling! They really may have used whole grain, but look at the sugar content. We read "Corn" or "Fruit" or "Wheat" or "Bran" and automatically relate each to health...don't be so easily persuaded. They may be using artificial fruit, or using only part of the grain not the whole grain. The label "No Cholesterol" on cereal is pathetic..of course it doesn't contain cholesterol, only animal products do!

This may sound like common sense but really there are still so many individuals out there that do not know this stuff!

Another marketing tool is using a "character" or "slogan" for kids. We've all heard, "Silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids!" But are these sugary cereals really for...anybody? To me they are more of a treat and definitely not something I would eat for breakfast!

Now let's talk about healthy ideas for breakfast..lately I've been eating a lot of Nature's Path Organic "Optimum Blueberry Cinnamon" cereal. When I first came upon Nature's Path cereals, my reaction was, "These are disgusting and taste like cardboard!" but I had only given one kind a chance. They have so many choices and they really are healthy! The bonus is I can eat smaller amounts and be full where other cereals it takes more to fill me up. It's high in fiber, whole grain, and low in sugar. This is a company I trust.

http://www.naturespath.com/products/cold%20cereals?tid=All&brand=All&nutri=All

And of course I must suggest something besides cereal...ThinStick Shake!

Bright Banana Blue: 1/2 banana, 1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, 1/4 teaspoon fresh or powdered ginger, 8 oz. skim milk, 1 scoop Thinstick Shake.