A new study by researchers at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul warns that Americans are not consuming enough whole grains in their meals. In fact, Americans are consuming less than the recommended amount of dietary fiber and whole grains on a daily basis. Researchers also said Americans who eat food rich in whole grains three times per day, tend to consume the most fiber.
Studies done in the past showed that whole grain foods can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes along with heart disease in adults. The health benefits can be attributed to whole grains and the fiber it delivers to the body. Bear in mind that whole grain can be found in bread, and some cereal, such as oatmeal.
"Most people do not consume whole grains in amounts that can be most beneficial, also many people, even health professionals, are confused about the relationship between whole grain and fiber," Marla Reicks told Reuters Health in an email.
Reicks said eating fiber has been linked to lower weight, better gut health and less heart disease among adults. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services dietary guidelines state that at least half of all grains consumed by Americans should be whole grains.
Children need to consume 19 to 25 grams of fiber each day, while adults are recommended to consume around 21 to 38 grams of fiber each day. This can be difficult for some households, but it should not be ignored, nevertheless.
Researchers surveyed 9,042 people in 2009 and 2010 to come to the conclusion that Americans ages two and up are not consuming the necessary amount of fiber on a daily basis. The study found out that 42 percent of adults fail to consume whole grains at all, along with 39 percent of children and teens.
Furthermore, only 8 percent of adults consume whole grains, while only 3 percent of children and teens do the same.
It is understood that adults and children who consume a lot of whole grain have the highest amount of fiber intake compared to those who don't.
For those who unaware how to tell if a product is rich in fiber, just simply look at the label.
"Some products indicate the whole grain content in grams on the label, which is very useful if you know how much whole grain is needed to count as a serving, and some use the whole grain stamp (The Whole Grains Council), but not all," Reicks said.
