doi:10.1094/CFW-61-3-00106 | VIEW ARTICLE

CFW Report

CIMMYT Series on Carbohydrates, Wheat, Grains, and Health: Carbohydrates, Grains, and Whole Grains and Disease Prevention. Part II. Blood Pressure, Metabolic Syndrome, and Diabetes1,2

Julie M.Jones,³Roberto J.Peña,³ReneeKorczak,³ and Hans J.Braun<sup>3,4

1</sup>Funded by a grant to CIMMYT from GrupoBimbo.²The data included herein are provided “as is.” CIMMYT makes no representation regarding the authenticity, suitability, accuracy, or completeness of any data contained herein. CIMMYT expressly disclaims any and all warranties, including without limitation any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall CIMMYT be liable for any actual, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages arising from the use and/or reliance on such data.³Global Wheat Program, CIMMYT.⁴Corresponding author. CIMMYT, Global Wheat Program, Km 45 Carretera México-Veracruz, El Batán, Texcoco, C.P. 56130, Estado de México, México. E-mail: h.j.braun@cgiar.org. Cereal Foods World 61(3):106-122.

To address many current claims that discourage the ingestion of carbohydrates (CHOs), wheat, and cereal grains, as well as to celebrate the versatility, nutritional and health benefits, and contribution of these foods to the world food supply, we felt compelled to defend their role in the diet and write a series of reviews. The fifth review in the series assesses the health effects of consumption and overconsumption of CHOs, grains, and wheat and focuses on their roles in blood pressure, stroke, glucose tolerance, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and diabetes. In terms of blood pressure and MetS, CHOs and grain-based foods included as part of a balanced diet do not appear to elevate blood pressure or increase the risk of MetS, even though grain-based foods are major contributors of dietary sodium. Both the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which emphasizes consumption of whole grain breads and cereals as part of its healthy dietary pattern, and dietary fibers, especially viscous ones, have been shown to lower blood pressure and MetS. Similarly, balanced dietary patterns with adequate dietary fiber and whole grain intakes are associated with lower risk of diabetes and better outcomes for those with diabetes. Although low-CHO and low-glycemic diets have been shown to benefit some diabetic individuals, balanced dietary patterns, e.g., Mediterranean and New Nordic, that contain adequate dietary fiber and a balance of grain-based food intakes produce the lowest hemoglobin A1c.