Whole Grains Kick Cancer

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study last month which shows that consuming whole grains is associated with reducing the risk for colorectal cancer.

According to medicalnewstoday.com, "Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) analyzed survey results from a large prospective cohort study called the NIH-AARP Study, which involves more than 291,000 men and 197,000 women aged 50 to 71."

The study shows that fiber from whole grains only is associated with reducing the risk for colorectal cancer. The participants who ate the most whole grains had a 20 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer than those who ate the least. Consuming whole grains also reduces the risk for rectal cancer by 35 percent.

Medicalnewstoday.com reports that a 2003 European study shows that a diet high in fiber from whole grains, vegetables and fruits reduces the risk for colon cancer by 25 percent.

Whole grains are found in kernels such as oats, wheat, corn, rye, barley, millet, bulgur and quinoa. The outermost layer of the kernel, known as the bran, has the most fiber; the inside of the kernel, known as the germ, contains the majority of minerals, vitamins and fatty acids. The endosperm, which lies in between the bran and the germ, possess starch and few vitamins and minerals.

The problem with refining: it removes the bran and the germ!

Whole grains can have up to 4 times as much fiber than refined grains, which mainly consist of starches.