Grains, cereal health

There is no question that whole grains exert health benefits, but the American intake is about 20-30% of the cereal grain category. There is a long history of cardiovascular health benefits associated with the routine consumption of whole-grain products (Jacobs et al., 1998, 1999 Liu et al., 1999). Evidence of benefits of whole grains in diabetes has emerged (Liu et al., 2000). 

Recent studies by Ross et.al. have demonstrated that resorcinolic lipids (5-alkylresorcinols) present in high fibre whole grain cereal diet can be used as biomarkers, i.e. compounds that can be used for the epidemiological studies of the effects of dietary intake in human health [412-415]. These phenolic compounds are absorbed from the ileum by animals and humans and may be determined quantitatively in the serum [416] and their metabolites also in human urine [412], Further data confirm that cereal grain 5-alkylreesorcinols modify animal lipid metabolism in vivo and in vitro [413,417] which make them very interesting in relation to the risks of diabetes, obesity, heart diseases and some cancers. 

In 1998, a study was published on prostate cancer, the most prevalent cancer among men. Prostate cancer represents a large and growing health problem in the United States and other western countries [142]. In this large, 59-country study, Hebert et al. [142] tried to identify predictive measures for prostate cancer mortality. They concluded by staling that the results from this study are consistent with previous information and support the hypothesis that grains, cereals, and nuts are protective against prostate cancer [142]. 

It is not only the human diet that changes every now and then, the feed of domestic animals is also under somewhat capricious htrman influence. Bran was an important animal food in earlier years, but artificially prepared mixtures have gradually replaced it. Fiber-rich bran needed a new use. The marketing experts of mills took notice of the beneficial health effects of fibers and began advertising this fact heavily. The result was less bran for animals, more for people. The new-found popularity of whole grain cereal is a testament to their proficiency. 

Fardet A. New hypotheses for the health-protective mechanisms of whole-grain cereals what is beyond fibre Nutr Res Rev. 2010 23 65-134. 

Mathews G, Pesticides, Health, Safety and the Environment, Blackwell Publishing, 2006. Murray T D, Parry D W and Cattlin N D, Diseases of Small Grain Cereal Crops, Manson Publishing, 2008. 

The development of high fmctose com symp (HECS) may provide another health benefit attributable to cereal grains (see Syrups). These symps are being used to an ever-increasing extent by the food industry. Shortly after HECS came on the market, a dramatic increase in the price of sucrose acted as a spur to the production of the high fmctose symps. 

In Japan, bifenox is the only registered diphenyl ether herbicide. The tolerance and/or maximum residue limits (MRLs) are established at 0.1 mg kg for cereals such as rice grain, barley and wheat, and 0.05mgkg for potatoes (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan). Ibe California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) established the minimum detectable quantity of diphenyl ether herbicides at 0.1 mgkg for bifenox, nitrofen and oxyfluorfen. ... 

A few other cereal-based ingredients go into some biscuits. The most important is oats in the form of oatmeal or oat bran. Health claims are sometimes made regarding oat bran products. Some savoury biscuits have whole or kibbled grains of either wheat barley or oats. Barley does go into biscuits in the form of malt extract. Brewers or distillers spent... 

The type of iron that the human body needs for good health is the Fe2+ ion. Cereals fortified with iron, however, usually contain small grains of elemental iron, Fe. What must the body do to this elemental iron to make good of it Oxidation or reduction ... 

Dykes L, Rooney LW. 2007. Phenolic compounds in cereal grains and their health benefits, Cereal Foods World 52 105-111. 

Outside the U.b chlorinated insecticides have accounted for half of the insecticides used in crop protection (e.g. vegetables 46% rice, 57% other cereals, 85% cotton, 38% in 1966). Their major contribution is undeniable and whilst there has now been some reduction in public health uses, the crop protection uses in poorer countries seem likely to decline only slowly As the rest of the world slips into ever increasing dependence on North America for its grain supplies (48) we cannot lightly abandon any of the well proven means to maintain the food supply, particularly if the alternatives appear safer only because we know less about them ... 

---