Whole grain consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Whole grain foods include unrefined wheat, rice, corn, oats, oatmeal, and whole wheat. These foods sound healthy and may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. But are there any benefits of whole grains?

As it turns out.

There is no evidence that it works due to insufficient evidence.

The studies are.

The study reviewed nine RCTs, with 1414 participants. Overall, there is no difference in total cholesterol between the whole grain group and the control group.

(mean difference 0.07, 95% confidence interval -0.07 to 0.21; 6 studies (7 comparisons), 722 participants, evidence of low quality)

The duration of the study was up to 16 weeks, and the reviewers found no evidence of reduced risk for cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, unstable angina, coronary artery bypass grafting, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, stroke).

This was a study that was being conducted because a cohort study had revealed a correlation between whole grain deficiency and death from cardiovascular disease.

There were some reports of effects on lipids and blood pressure in very small numbers, but the intervention of bias made it impossible to reach a conclusion.

At first glance, it seems to be effective, but the paper was only about the effect. This is a brief summary.

Kelly SAM, Hartley L, Loveman E, Colquitt JL, Jones HM, Al-Khudairy L, Clar C, GermanòR, Lun HR, Frost G, Rees K. Whole grains for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017, No. 8. Number: CD005051. doi: 10.1002 / 14651858.CD005051.pub3.