Eating about four to six servings of whole grains a day was linked to the largest improvements in several heart disease risk factors, according to a review of 87 randomized clinical trials published September 15 in the European Heart Journal. The analysis pooled results from 6,529 adults in trials conducted in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia and Brazil.
The gains were real but modest. On average, LDL cholesterol, the "bad" kind, fell by about 5 mg/dL and body weight by about 1 pound, in trials that lasted a median of eight weeks. None of the trials measured heart attacks or strokes, so the review cannot say whether these changes prevent them.
