What if eating a bowl of white rice was as bad for the heart as swallowing large handfuls of candy? That’s according to an Iranian study to be presented at the 13th Congress of the Emirates Cardiac Society, which claims the cereals you eat can impact your risk of premature heart disease.
This study by the Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center reveals that diets high in refined grains, including white rice, white flour and white bread, are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. On the other hand, they found that this risk decreases when consuming whole grains.
The Risks of Premature Coronary Artery Disease
Premature coronary artery disease is characterized by narrowing of the coronary arteries due to atherosclerotic plaques in men younger than 55 or in women younger than 65. Early in the course of the disease, it is often asymptomatic, but may cause chest pain (angina pectoris) or heart attack with gradual development of narrowing (stenosis) or plaque rupture of the arterial wall.
Smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and a family history of heart disease are major risk factors for premature coronary heart disease. In their study, the Iranian researchers claim that food, and in particular white rice, also increases this risk.
The study included more than 2000 participants, including 1369 participants with premature coronary artery disease. These were compared to a control group of 1168 disease-free participants. The researchers used food frequency questionnaires to examine the participants’ intakes of refined grains or whole grains. They concluded that “a diet that includes the consumption of a large amount of refined grains can be considered similar to a diet high in sugars and saturated fats”said Dr. Mohammad Amin Khajavi Gaskarei, lead author of the study.
Source: White rice and pasta are just as bad for your heart as CANDY, study suggests, Dailymail, October 3, 2022.