Whole Grains and Weight Loss

Researchers aren’t exactly sure why, but whole grains appear to help us keep the weight off. A news release from the Technical University of Denmark reports that researchers at the school divided a test group of 50 overweight adults in two, and had each group eat a diet of either whole grains or refined grains for eight weeks. Blood tests showed that those who ate whole grains had less inflammation in their bodies. They also suggested that rye had a particularly beneficial effect on the blood’s content of inflammatory markers. The study also showed that people eat less when whole grain products are on the menu – presumably because whole grains fill us up, or at least tell our bodies that we are full. That may be reason those who ate whole grains lost more weight than those who ate processed grains. Or not. The researchers saw no change in the gut bacteria of either group.