A New Front in the War on Cancer
Whole grains are even better than we thought.
American Institute for Cancer Research - New research reported by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) shows that whole grains like corn, whole wheat, oats and brown rice have powerful antioxidants - cancer-fighting agents - that have gone undocumented for years. Whole grains, the study found, exhibit a level of anti-cancer activity that is equal to, and sometimes greater than, the level known to occur in vegetables and fruits.
The finding may begin to clear up one of the most controversial and confusing questions in contemporary diet-cancer science: the role of high-fiber diets in lowering colon cancer risk. For years, scientists have wondered why people whose diets are high in fiber-rich whole grains consistently have lower risk for colon cancer. Yet short-term clinical trials involving small groups of subjects yield inconsistent results.
The answer may lie in the fact that clinical trials tended to overlook a role for whole grains and focused instead on the role of fiber alone in lowering colon cancer risk. The new research suggests that future clinical studies would benefit from a broader perspective - one that accounts for the collective, interactive effects of whole grains themselves, the fiber they contain, and the various protective substances now revealed.
The finding underscores the need for Americans to choose whole grains whenever they can. Some simple adjustments in shopping and cooking can help. Use whole-wheat pasta, ask for brown rice at an Asian restaurant, make sure any bread you eat is 100 percent whole grain.
Of the whole grains tested, corn had the highest total antioxidant activity, followed by whole wheat, oats and brown rice.
The scientists involved in the new study say that the key to whole grain's enormous cancer-fighting potential lies in its very wholeness. A grain of whole wheat is composed of three parts: endosperm, bran and germ. When wheat - or any grain - is refined, the bran and germ - where most of the protective phytochemicals and fiber are stored - are removed.
These new findings may partially explain why diets high in whole grains can help reduce the incidence of colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease and diabetes. This study reinforces AICR's commitment to meals with variety. Different plant foods have different phytochemicals. To ward off disease, the body needs synergy - or teamwork - among the various foods on your plate, including whole grains.
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