Tc
Mon, May-02-05, 17:19
Study links good carbs to healthier hearts Whole grains,
vegetables reduce inflammation in the body
By Jane Weaver Health editor MSNBC Updated: 10:21 a.m. ET
May 2, 2005
If you miss eating pasta, go ahead, have some. Just make sure
it's whole-wheat pasta.
Certain types of carbohydrates may be good for the heart,
according to a new analysis of data from the Women's Health
Study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health. The
federally funded Women's Health Study is a 10-year randomized
trial testing the effects of aspirin and vitamin E in reducing
cardiovascular risk in approximately 40,000 women.
Women who ate high-fiber diets rich in fruits, vegetables and
whole grains were found to have lower levels of C-reactive
protein, a substance in the blood that has been linked to
coronary heart disease, the study found.
C-reactive protein plays key role Most people recognize high
cholesterol as a leading cause of heart disease, but new data
suggests that testing levels of the C-reactive protein,
produced by the liver, is equally important in predicting
coronary problems as well as Type 2, or adult onset, diabetes.
High CRP levels in the blood indicate a low-grade inflammation
in the body, a condition that is believed to play a role in
heart attacks. Inflammation develops when our bodies fight
infection or injury and is thought to contribute to or even
cause atherosclerosis, or build-up of fatty deposits in the
arteries, according to the American Heart Association.
Earlier research from the Women's Health Study found that
women with high levels of inflammation had a greater risk of
heart attack or stroke.
In the carbohydrate trial, Harvard researchers drew blood from
15,000 women and quizzed them about their diet habits,
dividing participants into groups based on their total fiber
consumption and glycemic index-the measure of how quickly
carbs are absorbed into the body.
'Carbs are not all created equal' The researchers found that
the CRP levels of women whose diets consisted primarily of
refined grains were 10 percent higher than women who consumed
a lot of good carbs such as fiber-rich whole grains, fruits
and vegetables.
"Carbohydrates have gotten such bad press in the last
couple of years, but clearly carbs are not all created
equal," says Emily Levitan, lead researcher of the Harvard
carbohydrate study.
The women who ate foods with the most soluble fiber like oats
and oat bran, dried beans, flax seeds, oranges and apples had
less inflammation in their body.
"What it means is women should switch to whole grains, start
eating brown rice instead of white, eat whole grain breads and
whole grain pasta, and also increase their intake of fruits
and vegetables, other than potatoes," says Levitan.
Other studies have linked good carbs with lower weight, but
the Harvard study is the largest to show that whole grains can
reduce inflammation in the body.
Bad carbs like white bread or refined pastas were linked with
increased blood inflammation, which could lead to heart
disease later on, Levitan says.
Once shunned as the starchy, hunger-causing enemy of lean
dieters, high-quality carbs are now major factors in the
government's diet guidelines.
But bad carbs like candy bars or processed white bread are
still no-nos when it comes to weight control and nutrition.
Those sugar-rush carbs are quickly turned into glucose by the
body and end up causing you to feel hungry again sooner.
------
tc
vegetables reduce inflammation in the body
By Jane Weaver Health editor MSNBC Updated: 10:21 a.m. ET
May 2, 2005
If you miss eating pasta, go ahead, have some. Just make sure
it's whole-wheat pasta.
Certain types of carbohydrates may be good for the heart,
according to a new analysis of data from the Women's Health
Study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health. The
federally funded Women's Health Study is a 10-year randomized
trial testing the effects of aspirin and vitamin E in reducing
cardiovascular risk in approximately 40,000 women.
Women who ate high-fiber diets rich in fruits, vegetables and
whole grains were found to have lower levels of C-reactive
protein, a substance in the blood that has been linked to
coronary heart disease, the study found.
C-reactive protein plays key role Most people recognize high
cholesterol as a leading cause of heart disease, but new data
suggests that testing levels of the C-reactive protein,
produced by the liver, is equally important in predicting
coronary problems as well as Type 2, or adult onset, diabetes.
High CRP levels in the blood indicate a low-grade inflammation
in the body, a condition that is believed to play a role in
heart attacks. Inflammation develops when our bodies fight
infection or injury and is thought to contribute to or even
cause atherosclerosis, or build-up of fatty deposits in the
arteries, according to the American Heart Association.
Earlier research from the Women's Health Study found that
women with high levels of inflammation had a greater risk of
heart attack or stroke.
In the carbohydrate trial, Harvard researchers drew blood from
15,000 women and quizzed them about their diet habits,
dividing participants into groups based on their total fiber
consumption and glycemic index-the measure of how quickly
carbs are absorbed into the body.
'Carbs are not all created equal' The researchers found that
the CRP levels of women whose diets consisted primarily of
refined grains were 10 percent higher than women who consumed
a lot of good carbs such as fiber-rich whole grains, fruits
and vegetables.
"Carbohydrates have gotten such bad press in the last
couple of years, but clearly carbs are not all created
equal," says Emily Levitan, lead researcher of the Harvard
carbohydrate study.
The women who ate foods with the most soluble fiber like oats
and oat bran, dried beans, flax seeds, oranges and apples had
less inflammation in their body.
"What it means is women should switch to whole grains, start
eating brown rice instead of white, eat whole grain breads and
whole grain pasta, and also increase their intake of fruits
and vegetables, other than potatoes," says Levitan.
Other studies have linked good carbs with lower weight, but
the Harvard study is the largest to show that whole grains can
reduce inflammation in the body.
Bad carbs like white bread or refined pastas were linked with
increased blood inflammation, which could lead to heart
disease later on, Levitan says.
Once shunned as the starchy, hunger-causing enemy of lean
dieters, high-quality carbs are now major factors in the
government's diet guidelines.
But bad carbs like candy bars or processed white bread are
still no-nos when it comes to weight control and nutrition.
Those sugar-rush carbs are quickly turned into glucose by the
body and end up causing you to feel hungry again sooner.
------
tc