Research at the U of S supports consumption of whole grain food and food made with enriched, non-whole grains
Are you eating your cereals?
If you are, you’re part of a minority.
According to a 2015 health survey conducted by Statistics Canada, nearly 80 percent of Canadian adults are not meeting Canada Food Guide recommendations for consumption of whole grain foods and foods made with enriched, non-whole grains.
That’s a large portion of Canada’s estimated adult population of 22 to 23 million people.
Which leads to an interesting question.
In a country that’s so good at producing healthy whole grains, why are so few people in Canada eating them?
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That’s a question that University of Saskatchewan nutritionist Hassan Vatanparast has been pondering for some time.
Despite plenty of evidence suggesting that whole grain foods and enriched non-whole grain foods are an important part of a balanced diet, Vatanparast said Canadians are still inclined to make other, less healthy, dietary choices.
In fact, many Canadian continue to view whole grain and enriched non-whole grain foods as a poor dietary choice that’s linked to being overweight, obese and a host of other health problems.
“There’s a negative perception of grains that perhaps is associated with obesity and there are many things in the media that are creating concerns in the minds of Canadians and are (causing some people) to avoid grains,” said Vatanparast.
“The data doesn’t really provide reasons (for reduced intake of grains) but we can extrapolate why it’s happening,” he said.
“Perhaps there’s a negative environment that exists through the media …
“Perhaps consumers are confused about where to find reliable information about healthy food consumption.”
Vatanparast is part of a research group based at the U of S that’s examining the nutritional benefits of grain-based foods.
The project is funded in part by the Saskatchewan Wheat Commission, the Alberta Wheat Commission and Grain Farmers of Ontario.
Vatanparast recently spoke about his research at the Canadian Nutrition Society annual conference in Halifax, where he reminded listeners that many foods made from enriched refined grains or whole grains are important nutrient contributors to the Canadian diet.
“The grain foods … (we) consume are contributing important sources of some key nutrients and those individuals who do not consume grains may be at risk for these important nutrients, such as folic acid, some B vitamins and iron,” he said.
Among other things, the U of S project examined Canadian grain consumption patterns from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), conducted by Statistics Canada.
The data suggested that only 22 percent of Canadian adults are meeting Canada Food Guide recommendations for grain-based food consumption.
The food guide recommends six to eight servings of healthy grain-based products per day, with half being whole-grain products and half being enriched non-whole grain foods.
Examples of whole grain foods include brown rice, quinoa and whole grain breads or breakfast cereals.
Examples of enriched non-whole grain food products include enriched white bread, pastas and tortillas.
Vatanparast cautioned, however, that not all grain-based foods are healthy.
Muffins, doughnuts and cakes, for example, are made from grain-based flours but they also contain high amounts of salts and sugars that can contribute to obesity and other health problems.
The distinction that needs to be made is which grain products are good for you.
Muffins, doughnuts and cakes “are the types of grain-based food items that we really need to limit,” said Vatanparast, an associate professor in the colleges of Pharmacy and Nutrition and the School of Public Health at the U of S.
“These are products that likely are related to overweightedness and obesity because they have added sugar and added salt.”
Regrettably, it seems that a significant and rising number of Canadian adults are unable to differentiate between healthy grain products and unhealthy ones.
The result is that many consider all grain-based products as poor dietary choices, a conclusion that may be contributing to unhealthy eating habits and poor nutrition.
The erroneous assumption that grains cause obesity must be replaced with a conclusion that’s been reached by Vatanparast and other nutrition experts: that grain-based foods are good for you if they’re chosen diligently.
Early results of Vatanparast’s research reveal that current consumption patterns of healthy grain-based foods are responsible for delivering high amounts of important nutrients to the diet.
More specifically, they deliver 43 percent of folate in the average adult diet in Canada, 39 percent of iron and 31 percent of dietary fibre.
At the same time, healthy grain-based foods are responsible for delivering just 25 percent of the daily caloric intake in the average adult diet.
“Only 25 percent of total daily energy comes from grains so we have 75 percent coming from other sources,” said Vatanparast.
“So, I think for those that are meeting the daily recommendation (for healthy grain intake), the chances of having an association between grain intake and obesity is not very high.”
The U of S research also found that the body mass index (BMI) of people who eat grains is not different from the BMI of people who do not eat grains.
This suggests that eliminating grain foods from the diet would not have a correlation to reduced BMI levels.
Vatanparast’s presentation in Halifax was based on early results of the U of S research project, which will continue until 2020.
In coming years, the project plans to examine various aspects of grain intake, including differences in consumption by region and by socio-economic status.
