3. They can help lower cholesterol.
Whole grains not only help prevent your body from absorbing “bad” cholesterol, they may also lower triglycerides, both of which are major contributors to heart disease. In fact, whole grains lower the risk of heart disease overall. One study found that women who ate two to three servings of whole grain products daily were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or die from heart disease compared with women who ate less than one serving a week. “Any form of whole grain — including whole wheat, oats, brown rice, barley, corn, quinoa, rye, buckwheat and millet — will confer benefits for heart health,” says Cheung. “When it comes to oatmeal, steel-cut is better than instant.”
4. They lower blood pressure.
The heart benefits of whole grains don’t stop with cholesterol and triglycerides. They also lower blood pressure, one of the most important risk factors for heart disease. One study found a 19 percent lower risk of hypertension among men who ate more than seven servings of whole grain breakfast cereal a week compared with those who ate one or less. A study of women also found a benefit. “Eating whole grains instead of refined grains substantially lowers blood cholesterol … triglycerides, blood pressure and insulin levels,” says Cheung. “Any of these changes would be expected to reduce the risk of heart disease.”