Whole Grain Foods Linked To Reduced Risk Of Metabolic Syndrome And Diabetes

A new study published in January’s American Journal of Clinical Nutrition provides evidence that eating whole grain foods may reduce older adults’ chances of developing metabolic syndrome, a constellation of risk factors linked with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Both diabetes and metabolic syndrome are on the rise in the United States, yet there are simple lifestyle changes that can be made to reduce one’s risk for developing these and other diseases.

While it has previously been shown that eating more whole grain foods may reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged adults, this is the first study to evaluate the connection in older adults. This finding adds further support to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, which recommends including at least 3 ounces of whole grains each day as part of a healthy diet.

Whole grains are an important dietary source of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Other benefits of whole grains include lowering cholesterol, promoting bowel regularity, reducing cancer risk, and providing a feeling of fullness that may help with weight loss. Whole grains also have less effect on blood sugar levels, compared to refined grains, and can therefore help improve insulin levels. Avoiding refined grains in the diet is just as important as increasing whole grains in preventing metabolic syndrome and improving fasting glucose levels.

Fitting whole grains into the diet can be easy but requires attention to food labels. Be sure to read the ingredient list for the word “whole”, such as whole wheat or whole oats. Beware of labels marked “multigrain”, “made with whole grain,” or “100% wheat” which may contain small amounts of whole grains and high amounts of refined grains.

Other ways to help reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes include: achieving or maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, stopping smoking, and getting regular checkups from your doctor.

Nutrition Notes

New Food Labels Aim to Help Consumers Choose Healthier Foods More Easily

On January 1st two new federal rules went into effect that help consumers choose healthy foods more easily. Both require new types of labeling on packaged foods, yet both have some shortcomings worth noting.

The first change is the additional requirement of listing trans fat alongside total and saturated fat on the nutrition facts label. Trans fats have recently been found to have direct links to heart disease yet are common in packaged and processed foods. Many manufacturers have already chosen to remove trans fats from their products to avoid having to list these harmful ingredients on their product labels.

Restaurants and fast-food establishments are exempt from the new requirement, however, and many of their foods include significant amounts of trans fats. In addition, a package may declare a product to be “trans fat free” even though it contains small amounts of trans fats; this is legal if the amount per serving is less than 0.5 gram. Watch for the phrase “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredient list to identify these small quantities of trans fats.

The 2nd change to the food labels is designed to simplify consumers’ ability to identify allergy-causing ingredients. It is estimated that about 2% of adults and 5% of infants and children have food allergies.

Roughly 90% of documented food allergy reactions are caused by 8 foods: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. The new law requires food manufacturers to label any ingredients derived from those 8 foods in clear language that makes their food source easily identifiable. Examples include listing “eggs” instead of the previous “albumin”, or “milk casein” rather than just “casein.”

While this rule goes a long way toward simplifying label reading for those with food sensitivities, there is one glaring omission: gluten. People who are gluten intolerant will need to wait a bit longer before the term “gluten-free” is defined and gluten is more clearly identified on food labels. And, as with trans fats, restaurants are not required to make any changes that would help their food-sensitive customers avoid harmful foods.