Whole Grains and Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes a variety of conditions affecting the heart and vascular system resulting in a range of morbidities and, if untreated, increases the risk of premature death. CVD causes reduced blood flow to the heart, peripheral tissues and vital organs such as the brain and arises in four distinct forms: coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease and aortic disease. Observational studies have consistently shown an inverse relationship between increased whole grain intake and reduced risk and incidence of CVDs; typically in the range of 20-30% reductions for the highest whole grain consumers compared with the lowest whole grain consumers for all forms of CVD investigated. The beneficial effects of whole grains have been attributed to their nutritional composition, including an array of dietary fibres, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. The complexity of this composition makes identifying potential mechanisms for the impact of diets rich in whole grains on CVD risk difficult.