The Whole Grains Council has excellent summaries of the hundreds of scientific studies done on whole grains and health.
These studies have shown whole grains can reduce your risk of stroke up to 37%, heart disease up to 36%, type 2 diabetes up to 27%, and some cancers up to 66%.
Whole grains also appear to lessen or lower the risk of: Acne, Appendicitis, Artery-narrowing plaque, Asthma, Atherosclerosis, Blood pressure, Cancer: Bladder, Breast, Colon, Esophagus, Gallbladder, Kidney, Liver, Larynx, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Ovarian, Pancreatic, Prostate, Rectal, Stomach; C-reactive protein, lower LDL Cholesterol and triglycerides, Constipation, Diabetes, Diverticulitis, Gallstones, Gastrointestinal disorders, Gum disease, Hemorrhoids, Hypertension, Inflammatory diseases, Macular degeneration, Metabolic syndrome, Obesity, Pneumonia, Varicose veins of the legs, Weight regulation (loss), lower BMI, longer life span.
Something is terribly wrong with the American diet, and white flour is surely one of the causes since it offers no protection to the diseases above, and is a major suspect in the obesity and diabetes crises. Two major indicators that we’re not healthy as a nation are that Americans have been shrinking in height since WWII, and despite the USA being the wealthiest nation that has ever existed, our life expectancy is less than dozens of other nations.
References
2009. Summary of Recent Research On Whole Grains and Health. Whole Grains Council.
Jonnalagadda, Satya, S., et. al. 2011. Putting the Whole Grain Puzzle Together: Health Benefits Associated with Whole Grains. American Society for Nutrition.
Slavin, Joanne. 2004. Whole grains and human health. Nutrition Research Reviews.
Health Studies on Whole Grains. Whole Grains Council.
