The Whole Health Benefits of Whole Grains

The health benefits of regularly incorporating whole-grain foods into our diets are many and varied.

With a greater focus on the inseparable link between nutrition and wellness, many health-conscious consumers are vaguely aware that whole grains are preferable — but we may not know why or how we can achieve these benefits.

What are whole-grain foods anyway, and how are they helpful?

Whole-grain foods: a definition. Some common grains found in cereals and breads include corn, rice, barley, rye, and wheat. The grain seed in its unprocessed form is composed of three parts. From innermost to outermost, those parts are the germ, the endosperm, and the bran.

To visualize whole grain, picture a piece of popped popcorn. When the formerly inedible kernel is heated and pops, it essentially turns inside out, and the deliciously edible endosperm becomes visible.

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Breads, cereals, and other food products made from whole-grain foods contain the same balanced nutrition that is provided in the entire grain seed, rather than merely one or two parts of that seed.

Unlike whole grains, grains that have undergone a milling process have often had both the bran and endosperm removed. These heavily processed and milled forms retain only the less nutritionally beneficial germ. Though this can result it a more aesthetically pleasing or finely textured product, with the removal of the bran and endosperm comes removal of some of the most beneficial nutritional components of the grain: fiber, minerals (e.g., zinc, iron), and vitamins (e.g., Vitamin B).

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Whole-grain foods for major health risk reduction. The research is unequivocal. Consumption of whole grains reduces the risk of major potentially debilitating health conditions.

Diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and colon cancer are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. By including plenty of whole-grain foods in our diet, we can substantially reduce the risk of contracting these maladies.

Whole-grain foods for weight management. The fiber in whole-grain foods is responsible for a number of health advantages, but one of the most significant involves its role in weight management. Not only will fiber keep us fuller faster and for longer periods of time, it also can enhance the loss of body fat.

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In addition, recent studies have documented a variety of cardiovascular benefits associated with weight loss programs that include whole-grain food sources. Some of those benefits include decreased blood pressure and decreased LDL cholesterol.

Whole-grain foods for enhanced immunity. The immunoprotective benefits of zinc have been well documented. Many common over-the-counter cold preparations use zinc as their primary ingredient. Zinc helps the body fight off foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. From neutrophils to natural killer cells, our body’s immune system requires zinc to function.

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Without it, we’re vulnerable to a wide variety of diseases and infectious processes. Whole-grain foods, of course, are an excellent source of zinc.

Including whole-grain foods in our diets offers a number of important health benefits. From its immunoprotective zinc to its weight reduction enhancing fiber, whole-grain foods are a tasty, inexpensive, readily accessible addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Michele Blood is a freelance writer with a passion for children’s literature. Based in Flemington, New Jersey, she leverages her background in psychology in her work for publishers, businesses and NPOs.