Who would have thought that the healthiest food you could eat to prevent type 2 diabetes was a carb?
Researchers at Tufts University have found that VAT fat (Visceral Adipose Tissue), the kind of fat that surrounds intra-abdominal organs, is approximately 10 per cent lower in adults who reported eating three or more servings of whole grains a day and less than one serving a day of refined grains. In this study a differentiation was made between whole grains (like a slice of 100 percent whole-wheat bread, or a half-cup of oatmeal) and refined grains (like a slice of white bread, or a half-cup of white rice). Dietary surveys and body-fat scans were performed on more than 2,800 men and women between the ages of 32 and 83.
One interesting note is that whole grain consumption that exceeded four or more servings a day did not appear to have the same impact on VAT volume. This implies that rather than simply adding whole grains to the diet, it is important to substitute them for refined grains.
Here are some whole grain substitution suggestions:
- Use brown rice, whole wheat pasta or other alternative grains like quinoa instead of white rice or white pasta
- Use whole wheat bread on sandwiches instead of white bread
- Choose a bran muffin over a blueberry muffin
- Substitute whole grain flour for enriched all-purpose flour in your recipes
- Ask your local pizzeria if they have a whole-wheat crust option
- Choose breakfast cereals where the main ingredient is whole wheat, barley, or oats
For more ideas, check out:
Reference:
McKeown NM, Troy LM, Jacques PF, Hoffmann U, O'Donnell CJ and Fox CS. Whole- and refined-grain intakes are differentially associated with abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adiposity in healthy adults: the Framingham Heart Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (92)1165-1171, 2010.
