Next time you're at the grocery, you may want to add something to your shopping list: whole-grain foods.

In fact, eating about 2.5 servings of whole grains each day was linked in a study to a 21-percent lower risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems, compared to consuming less than one serving, a new study shows.

"These findings suggest that we should redouble our efforts to encourage patients to include more of these foods in their diets,” said Dr. Phillip Mellen, the study’s lead author and an internal-medicine expert at Wake Forest University’s medical school in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Mellen, meanwhile, emphasized he’s talking about “servings,” not eating a warehouse full of whole grains. For instance, a serving consists of one slice of whole-wheat bread, a half-cup of cooked brown rice, a cup of whole-grain cereal or three cups of popcorn.

What is a "whole grain?" 

His findings, which are based on studies involving more than 285,000 people between 1966 and 2006, are consistent with earlier research about the heart-healthy benefits of whole grains. However, despite abundant evidence, the number of people turning to the products remains low, with about half of the adults eating none at all on a given day.

"Many consumers and health professionals are unaware of the health benefits of whole grains," Mellen said.

A grain is "whole" when the entire grain seed is retained: the bran, germ and endosperm.

The bran and germ components are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats, but they’re removed in the refining process, such as that used to create white bread, leaving behind only the energy-dense, but nutrient-poor, endosperm.

Examples of whole-grain foods, which aren’t refined, include wild rice, popcorn, oatmeal, brown rice, barley, wheat berries and whole-wheat flours.

"A diet full of processed foods"

Greater whole-grain intake is associated with less obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol – major factors that increase the risk for heart disease and stroke, Mellen said.

"Years ago, scientists hypothesized that the higher rates of chronic diseases we have in the West, including heart disease, are due, in part, to a diet full of processed foods," he said. "Subsequent studies have borne that out, especially with whole grains.”

According to nutritionists, consumers should look for "100-percent whole grain" on food labels or look for specific types of whole-grain flour as the main ingredient, such as “whole wheat.”

Rapid growth

The news comes as the number of whole-grain products – from breads and baby foods to pastas – continue to squeeze other products off the grocery-store shelves.

In 2006, almost 10 times as many new whole-grain products, especially bakery, cereal and snacks, were introduced as in 2000, according to Mintel International Group, a Chicago-based marketing research firm.

Sales of whole-grain cookies topped the list by shooting up 1,364 percent during the past year, according to the Boston-based Whole Grains Council.

In March, researchers at Harvard Medical School in Boston said their own study showed 79 percent of the nearly 11,000 doctors sampled between 1982 and 2006 ate whole-grain cereals – and a third of them lowered their risk of heart failure by 28 percent.

So you want to give whole grains a try? Here is a recipe from the Wheat Foods Council in Parker, Colo., an industry group:

Whole-Wheat Raisin Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat all ingredients until well mixed, occasionally scraping the bowl.

Drop by teaspoonfuls, 1-inch apart, on cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately remove cookies to wire racks; cool.

Makes 36 cookies.

Nutrition information, per one cookie: calories, 71; protein, 1g; carbohydrates, 10g; fat, 3g; saturated fat, 0g; fiber, 1g; cholesterol, 12mg; sodium, 77 mg.

Check these out! 

•  Find more whole-grain ideas in Nubella’s Recipe Database.

•  Check the nutrients in whole-grain products by going to Nubella’s Nutrient Database.

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.