New research challenges the long-standing belief that grains contribute to excess weight, and suggest they are more beneficial for our body than Australians think.
Analysis of national ABS data of 9,341 Australian adults found that eating core grain foods was not linked to the size of waistline. This is despite 42 per cent of Aussies reporting that they limit grain foods to assist with weight loss.
The analysis of the 2011‐2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey commissioned by the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council involved a systematic analysis of 1,890 grain foods, including bread, breakfast cereals, as well as pasta, noodles and rice.
The data reveals that people who eat six or more serves of core grain foods each day including bread and pasta have a similar waistline and body mass index (BMI) as people who restrict their intake of grain foods.
Six serves of core grain foods a day, which is the recommendation for Aussie adults is as easy as a bowl of high-fibre breakfast cereal in the morning, a wholemeal sandwich for lunch and a stir-fry with rice for dinner.
Dr Flavia Fayet-Moore, director of Nutrition Research Australia, said that one of their key findings was that adults who ate six or more serves of core grain foods per day had much higher fibre intake than those who consumed less than two serves, even after taking into account all factors that can influence fibre, such as vegetable intake.
“So, by eliminating grains, people are compromising their fibre intake, which has major health implications.”
Chris Cashman, an accredited practising dietitian, said core grain foods are increasingly being viewed as non‐essential due to misconceptions that they make people overweight and have minimum nutritional value.
“Grains don’t deserve the bad rap they often get as a result of fad diet trends,” Cashman said.
“In fact, a recent comprehensive audit of all grains on the shelf has confirmed that the vast majority (95 per cent) of white and wholemeal breads are low in sugar – less than 5g per 100g which equals about one teaspoon; while 81 per cent of loaf breads are a source of plant-based protein and 88 per cent of breakfast cereals are a source of fibre.”
