A new meta-analysis found that you can increase your longevity by following a diet rich in whole grains. People who ate at least three servings of whole grains each day were 20 percent less likely to die early compared with people who ate less than one serving daily.

The researchers reviewed 14 previous studies, all of whom were at least six years long; many of the studies spanned over more than 10 years. The focus point of the analysis was looking at specific causes of death.

It was found that eating three servings of whole grains a day was linked to a 25 percent decreased risk of death from heart disease, and a 14 percent decreased risk of death from cancer, compared with eating less than one serving of whole grains daily.

According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, adults should eat three or more servings of whole grains each day. However, Americans eat less than one serving a day, on average, according to the study published in the journal Circulation.

Senior author of the study Dr. Qi Sun, an assistant professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, said, “these findings lend further support to the U.S. government’s current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which suggest high consumption of whole grains to facilitate disease prevention.”

More than 786,000 people were involved in the reviewed studies; nearly 98,000 deaths were recorded in all of the studies, including more than 37,000 from cancer, and more than 23,000 from heart disease.

Dr. Sun noted that several individual studies consistently suggested that people who consumed more grains had a reduced risk of death. Each serving (0.5 ounces or 16 grams) of whole grains a day was linked to a 7 percent reduction in the risk of death.

According to the meta-analysis, people in the studies ate different types of whole grains. However, in the U.S., more than 70 percent of whole grains that the participants ate came from breads and cereal grains – including rice, oatmeal, and barley.

Two previous meta-analyses already proved the benefits of following a diet rich in whole grains, as they are associated with lower cholesterol levels, lower blood sugar levels, and lower amounts of body fat.
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