It’s not how much you eat – it’s what you eat that determines whether you will be overweight. This simple truism has been emphasised this week by the discovery that processed grains – such as white bread and rice – put on the pounds, whereas whole grain versions of the same foods don’t.
People who eat mainly whole grains instead of refined grains have around 10 per cent less body fat. As a result, they run a much lower risk of developing type II diabetes and heart disease.
Researchers from Tufts University assessed the health profiles of 2,834 men and women aged from 32 to 83 years. Those who ate three or more servings a day of whole grains, and who limited the amount of white, processed foods, had lower stores of visceral fat, which determines the likelihood of heart disease and is a trigger for diabetes.
However, four or more servings of processed grains undid any good that whole grains might have done.
(Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010; doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.29106).
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