Find out which grains can be as bad for your heart as sugars In one of the first studies to examine the relationship between different types of grain intake and cardiovascular disease in the Middle East, researchers found that a higher intake of refined grains was associated with an increased risk of early coronary artery disease — as opposed to those from whole grains. , which is associated with reduced risk. The study will be presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Middle East 2022 along with the 13th Emirates Heart Association Congress, to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 7-9 October 2022.
Early coronary artery disease (PCAD) refers to narrowing of the coronary arteries in men younger than 55 years old or women younger than 65 years old. It is often asymptomatic early in the disease but can lead to chest pain and heart attack with progressive development of narrowing or rupture of the arterial wall plaque. Risk factors for PCAD include smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
There are many factors that cause people to consume more refined grains rather than whole grains. The most important of these factors include income, employment, education, culture, age and other similar factors, said Mohammad Amin Khajoi Gaskari, lead author of the study and researcher at the Cardiovascular Research Center of Isfahan and the Institute of Cardiovascular Research at the University of Medical Sciences in Isfahan. . , in Iran. “A diet that includes a lot of refined grains can be considered similar to a diet that includes a lot of unhealthy sugars and oils,” he noted.
Whole grains are defined as whole grains, while refined grains – into flour or bran – are milled to improve shelf life, resulting in a loss of important nutrients. The 2019 American Heart Association/American Heart Association Guidelines for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease recommend a diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and fish to reduce heart disease risk factors.
The Iranian study recruited 2,099 individuals with PCAD from hospitals with catheter labs, in different cities and ethnicities across the country, who underwent coronary angiography (women aged 70 years and over and men aged 60 years and over). In all, 1168 patients with normal coronary arteries were included in the control group, while 1369 patients with occlusion equal to or greater than 75% in at least one coronary artery or 50% in the left main coronary artery comprised the other group.
Participants were given a food frequency questionnaire to assess eating behaviors, and the relationship between whole and refined grain intake and the risk of PCAD in individuals who had not previously been diagnosed with heart disease. The results showed that a higher intake of refined grains is associated with an increased risk of PCAD, while an intake of whole grains is inversely associated with a reduced risk of PCAD.
“As more studies show an increase in consumption of refined grains globally, as well as an impact on public health, it is important that we find ways to encourage and educate people about the benefits of consuming whole grains,” Gascari said. Tactics to consider include teaching better food options in schools and other public places, in simple language that the general public can understand, as well as on television programmes. There is also a need for continued high-level research presented at medical conferences and for publication in scientific journals. Physicians should have these conversations with each other and with their patients.”
