Wholegrain cereals and bread: a duet of the Mediterranean diet for the prevention of chronic diseases

Abstract

Objective: The promotion of healthy lifestyles is one of the major goals of governments and international agencies all over the world. Wholegrain cereals are rich in nutrients and many phytochemical compounds, with recognised benefits for health, including dietary fibre, a number of phenolic compounds, lignans, vitamins and minerals and other bioactive components. The aim of the present work is to review the fundamental studies that support the consumption of wholegrain cereals and bread to prevent chronic diseases. Design: Descriptive review considering human studies. Setting and subjects: Subjects included in randomised intervention trials and cohort studies from different countries published up to 2010. Results: Several studies show consistently that subjects who ingest three or more portions of foods per day based on wholegrain cereals have a 20-30 % lower risk of CVD than subjects who ingest low quantities of cereals. This level of protection is not observed with the ingestion of refined cereals, these being even higher than with the intake of fruit and vegetables. Likewise, high intake of wholegrain cereals and their products, such as whole-wheat bread, is associated with a 20-30 % reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes. Finally, protection against the risk of colorectal cancer and polyps, other cancers of the digestive tract, cancers related to hormones and pancreatic cancer has been associated with the regular consumption of wholegrain cereals and derived products. Conclusions: The regular intake of wholegrain cereals can contribute to reduction of risk factors related to non-communicable chronic diseases.

Nutrimetabolomics fingerprinting to identify biomarkers of bread exposure in a free-living population from the PREDIMED study cohort

“…However, these relationships have been mainly observed for whole-grain bread or cereals (Gil et al 2011), whereas the associations for white bread are not clear, and have been associated with increased adiposity and weight gain (Bautista-Castano et al 2012a;Bautista-Castano and Serra-Majem 2012b;Williams 2012).…”

Agronomic, nutritional and nutraceutical aspects of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cultivars under low input agricultural management

“…gluten quality) and did not give much consideration to the nutritional and nutraceutical importance of wheat consumption in the human diet (Peccetti and Annicchiarico, 1998;Motzo et al, 2004). Recently, Fardet (2010) provided a complete description of the bioactive compounds present in whole wheat grains (including dietary fibre, polyphenols and carotenoids) and Gil et al (2011) reported on the numerous studies that have demonstrated a direct relationship between wholegrain consumption and prevention of chronic diseases (i.e. diabetes, colon cancer).…”

Parental adherence to Mediterranean diet is associated with their adolescents´ cereals intake

“…Cereal-based foods, whole grain in particular, including bread, have a vital role in maintaining health and well-being. Studies consistently indicate that the regular consumption of whole grain cereals helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, certain types of cancer and several gastrointestinal pathologies (Gil et al, 2011). Despite the recommendatory intake of three servings per day of whole-grain products, it was shown worldwide that children and adolescents consume only about one serving of whole-grain products daily (Burgess-Champoux, 2006; Thane et al, 2005;Vereecken et al, 2005).…”

“…Corresponding author E-mail: gretak@fthm.hr Whole grain cereals are of special importance within this dietary pattern due to their numerous nutrients and phytochemicals such as dietary fibre, antioxidants including phenolic compounds, phytoestrogens including lignans, vitamins and minerals (Gil et al, 2011). Over the past few decades, there has been a gradual shift away from this dietary pattern by the inhabitants of the Mediterranean basin, especially the young generations.…”