Recipe For A Longer Life: Eat Whole Grain Foods

An exhaustive review of published research and individuals’ health data finds that eating whole grain foods can extend lifespan. The Harvard study shows that people who ate 70 grams of whole grains a day lowered their risk of premature death, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, as long as a healthy lifestyle was followed. Refined grains stripped of their bran and germ during the milling process have a longer shelf life, but lack key nutrients unless they are “enriched.” U.S. dietary guidelines that recommend at least three daily servings — or 48 grams — of whole grains to "improve long-term health and prevent premature death." Researchers based their findings on the results from 12 published studies and health information from more than 786,000 participants.