More bran tied to longer life in diabetic women
Among women with diabetes, those who bulk up their diets with plenty of bran may live longer and be less likely to die of heart disease, a new study hints. A number of studies have linked higher consumption of whole grains to lower risks of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The new study extends those findings by suggesting that even among people with type 2 diabetes — which raises the risk of heart disease — whole grains may help protect the heart. Grains consist of three layers: the fiber- and nutrient-containing bran and germ layers and the starchy kernel layer. Refined grains, like white flour, are largely stripped of the bran and germ; whole grains — such as oatmeal, brown rice, barley and breads made from whole wheat — retain more of those components. Studies suggest that the fiber, antioxidants and other nutrients in whole grains may help lower cholesterol, blood sugar and insulin levels, as well as improve blood vessel functioning and reduce inflammation in the circulatory system. In the new study, Dr. Lu Qi, one of the researchers on the study and his colleagues at Harvard Medical School in Boston found that among 7,800 U.S. women followed for 26 years, those with the highest bran intake were 28 percent less likely to die during the study period than those who consumed the least bran. Similarly, they were 35 percent less likely to die of cardiovascular disease (heart disease or stroke) specifically. Bran intake itself may help lower diabetics' risk of premature death, according to Qi. He suggested that women and men with diabetes try to replace refined grains in their diets with bran-rich whole grains. Overall, Qi's team found, women in the top 20 percent for bran intake had a 28 percent lower risk of dying from any cause during the study period, compared with women in the lowest 20 percent. Their risk of death from cardiovascular disease was 35 percent lower. The group with the highest bran intake typically consumed 9 grams of bran per day — about 10 times more than the lowest-intake group. In general, experts recommend that adults get at least 3 to 4 "ounce equivalents" of whole grains each day; a slice of whole-grain bread or a cup of whole-grain cereal are examples of one ounce equivalent.
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