Research

Mixed

Higher consumption of whole grains is associated with a lower incidence of and mortality from cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, largely due to improved dietary carbohydrate quality and gut microbiota modulation.

Replace refined grain products (white bread, white rice, regular pasta) with whole grain versions (whole wheat bread, brown/red rice, whole wheat pasta) as often as possible. This increases dietary fiber and phytochemical intake, which improves blood sugar control and supports gut health, reducing your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Start by swapping one meal component at a time.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Higher consumption of whole grain is recommended because it is associated with lower incidence of, and mortality from, CVD, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. This may be due in part to effects on the gut microbiota.
Chris J. Seal et al. · Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety · 2021

Why this rating

Supported by strong evidence from observational and intervention studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses cited in the text.

Source

Health benefits of whole grain: effects on dietary carbohydrate quality, the gut microbiome, and consequences of processing

Chris J. Seal et al. · Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety · 2021

DOI 10.1111/1541-4337.12728

narrative_reviewCited 182×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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