The Health Benefits of Whole Grains

One of the most underappreciated aspect of maintaining optimal health is the impact of food choices on how we feel. That's why I believe that Lifestyle Medicine--the intentional employment of promoting healthy diet, physical activity, sleep practices, social connectedness, and avoidance of harmful substances and behaviors--is such a game-changer in medical practice. It's also one of the things that drives my daily work with my patients here in Benedict Medicine.

Today, I'm going to focus on the myriad benefits of incorporating whole grains into a healthy diet. Whole grains are an important component for improving glucose control and reducing the risk of prediabetes and diabetes. Whole grains contain the entire kernel with all its nutrients and beneficial fiber. A diet high in whole grains is associated with a decreased risk of diabetes, whereas diets high in processed grains (think white flour) are associated with an increased diabetes risk.

Whole grains with larger particle sizes are digested more slowly, which reduces their Glycemic Index (measure of how quickly absorption spikes blood glucose). The whole grains with lower glycemic indices (which are better for maintaining healthy glucose levels) are steel-cut oats, pearl barley, wild rice, quinoa and bulgur.