about whole grains
#349223 - 08/20/09 10:27 AM
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Gerikat
Reged: 06/21/09
Posts: 1285
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How did the so called "experts" come to the conclusion that whole grains are so good for us? It has been shoved down our throats for years now... how you can't be healthy without whole grains and lots of IF. I am starting to wonder about the accuracy of this.
Syl, you may have the answer to this one, since you seem to be the scientist on this board.
I am even doubting that grains are the be all end all.
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The notion that whole grains or bran are good for IBS is historically the advice that was given to manage spastic colon - now called IBS. In the 1990 IBS researchers began to look at the role of fiber and IBS particularly the role of whole grains.
One of the first studies to look at the role of bran was published in the Lancet in 1994 titled Bran and irritable bowel syndrome: time for reappraisal.. This was followed by a 1998 study published in the journal Nutrition titled Bran: may irritate irritable bowel. There have been a number of other studies since then that have confirmed that whole grains can exacerbate IBS in some individuals.
In 2007 the British GI Society published Guidelines on the irritable bowel syndrome: mechanisms and practical management. In these guidelines they say "Fruit and vegetable contain substantial amounts of both soluble (pectins, hemicelluloses) and insoluble (cellulose, lignin) nonstarch polysaccharide commonly referred to under the umbrella term ''fibre'', while cereals and especially bran contains mainly insoluble fibre. Although the commonest dietary recommendation made to patients with IBS is to increase the intake of dietary fibre, with particular emphasis on cereal bran, there are few data to support this approach. A survey based on secondary care patients actually suggested that cereal fibre makes the symptoms worse in around 55% of cases, with only 11% reporting any benefit. Other forms of fibre, especially the soluble varieties, were not so detrimental." It goes on to say "A recent systematic review of 17 clinical trials concluded that the benefits of fibre in IBS were marginal and that insoluble fibre can make the condition worse."
I hope this helps 
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Syl, I meant the population in gerneral, not IBS folks. For years now all you hear about is fiber and whole grains for everyone. Take IBS out of the equation, and when did the experts decide that whole grains and fiber were so good to consume for normal folk. How did that come about and how did they come to that conclusion?
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Hmmm - now that is an interesting question. I would guess that much of the information comes from unquestioned traditional health practices.
It has only be a couple of decades that research scientists have had the capabilities to be able to clinically test how various types of fiber are handled by the gut. Current research suggests that whole grains - as part of a healthy diet - may help reduce the risk of heart disease, some types of cancer, and Type-2 diabetes while soluble fiber may help lower bad cholesterol. The reliability of some of this information has been questioned lately. I suspect it will be some time before we truly understand the role of whole grains and fiber in our diet.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Thanks Syl, that is exactly how I feel about it.
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just not whole wheat! The wheat bran part (sperm, endosperm, bran are the 3 parts) is difficult to digest. But there are many other grains out there- just avoid wheat bran.
Besides, there are always food trends! Right now whole grain is the thing and products want to say they have it but many times it is the same old product that just now says whole grain on the package.
There are some people out there that maybe do eat healthier than we can, but there are billions that don't and throwing in a whole wheat peice of bread once in a while doesn't really make their diets healthy!
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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I know what whole wheat is...I know the parts of the wheat. My question was about the info they push for years and then go Whoops! ...we told ya wrong. Not about what you can or can not eat with IBS. My question was the validity and accuracy of the information presented. You misunderstood.
And I wasn't referring to IBS...but the public in general.
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There have been a great number of posts lately about the EFI diet being unhealthy/weight gaining because it supposedly is all about white bread. I am trying to dispel that myth.
I do feel whole grains are as healthy as they say. I feel that we should eat as nature intended- like many, many years ago. There are movements to eat that way now but most are just an excuse to eat lard, butter and bacon again! So the problem with this new thinking of eating healthy by adding things like whole grain or butter instead of trans fats (the dreaded trans fats- what about cholesterol? stupid people) is that people don't go 100% but just add a little whole wheat to their donut laden diets. That is my opinion on the diet trends of 2009.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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Minnie, I was asking about the current scientific data supporting whole grains and such, and when and how it came about. Not necessarily about 2009. Syl understood what I was trying to get across. My question has nothing to do with the EFI diet. I am not debating whether whole grains are healthy or not...just simply asking where and how the research/info came about.
And I do use butter, a much more natural product than margarine.
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butter
#350049 - 09/17/09 08:08 PM
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Not sure why I never replied to this before, perhaps I didn't notice the butter comment.
If you think margarine is unhealthy, even the trans-fat free kind made with omega rich oils, fine, but don't eat butter! Butter is one of the single worst foods to digest. there is no hard evidence that butter is any better for you than the whole grains you think aren't healthy. It is one of those things like Syl was talking about in this thread, some things may not have great proof. The cream from which butter is made is ridiculously high in cholesterol and saturated fat. If that doesn't scare you then why should the healthy margarines made with non-hydrogenated oils turn you off? Butter is both dairy and high in fat. The fat content alone would make it difficult to put any useful amount on food- whereas Smart Balance Light is low in fat enough to be able to spread it on decently.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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