Excessive white rice intake increases cardiovascular risk

Dietary habits are closely related to the development of chronic diseases. Over the past few decades, the intake of refined grains and sugars has continued to rise worldwide, and excessive intake of these high-refined carbohydrates has been shown to aggravateHigh blood sugar burden, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Recently, a large international study published in the British Medical Journal explored in depth the relationship between the intake of refined grains, whole grains and white rice.Cardiovascular health, overall mortality, blood lipids and blood pressure, revealing the potential impact of different grain types on health.

This 21-year study, spanning five continents and 14 countries, followed nearly 16 people and revealed that those who consumed higher amounts of refined grains, compared to those who consumed whole grains, had a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death. The study began in January 2003, with participants followed every three years until July 1. At the outset of the study, researchers collected detailed information on each participant's education, economic status, and health background. A specially designed food questionnaire was also used to assess their daily intake of refined grains, whole grains, and white rice.

Refined grains are wheat products or flours that have been processed to remove the bran and germ. These grains are low in fiber. Common refined grain foods include white bread, pasta, various instant breakfast cereals, corn flakes, cookies, and various baked desserts. In contrast, whole grains are unrefined grains that retain their original components. These include wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, pearl millet, sorghum, buckwheat, and others. Whole grains can be divided into two categories: those that retain all of their original components, and those that have been ground but still retain their complete nutrients.

The study found that people who consume a lot of refined grains face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. After excluding 1.1 subjects who already had a history of cardiovascular disease and correcting for other possible interfering factors, the data showed that compared with people who consumed less than 50 grams of refined grains per day, those who consumed more than 350 grams of refined grains per day had a 27% increased risk of all-cause mortality and a 33% increased incidence of severe cardiovascular disease, including a 47% increased risk of stroke. This trend is particularly evident in areas with high intake of refined grains, such as China. Over the past 20 years, the Chinese people's intake of wheat products has steadily increased, and studies have shown that this intake trend is positively correlated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, the data also show that consuming too much refined grains is related toincreased blood pressureThere is a certain correlation.

So, is consuming whole grains necessarily better for health? While many previous studies have suggested that whole grains can improve health, the results of this study do not clearly support this view. The research team speculates that this may be due to the fact that the definition of whole grains varies widely across countries, and that many commercially available foods labeled "whole grains" are actually highly processed, resulting in a significant loss of key nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Furthermore, whole grains are often consumed with sugary foods, which may weaken their original health benefits.

Based on the above findings, the research team strongly recommends that the intake of refined grains should be reduced and the proportion of whole grains consumed should be increased. The corresponding author of the study, Dr. Mahshid Dehghan of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University, pointed out that although it is not required to completely avoid refined grains, reducing their intake and sugar intake, while improving the overall quality of carbohydrates, is essential for maintaining health. Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, director of the School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, further stated that the public health field generally believes that added sugar is harmful to health, but often ignores the potential risks of refined starch. He pointed out that refined grains are almost equivalent to 100% glucose, and their effects on the body are similar to those of sugar intake. Therefore, it is recommended that the daily intake of refined grains should not exceed one serving, about 50 grams.

Taken together, this large international study provides strong evidence that the grain choices in our daily diet have a profound impact on our health. Reducing our intake of refined grains and choosing more nutritionally complete grains can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death, and promote overall health.