Carbs Have a Bad Reputation, but Whole Grains Might Help Your Heart

Go With the Grain: Carbs have a pretty bad reputation in nutrition spaces. Whole grains are carbs too, though, and they may deserve a better one when it comes to heart health. The tricky part has always been figuring out how much you need and how often to eat them to see results. But a big new analysis finally puts a number on it.

The Study: Researchers pooled 87 randomized controlled trials involving more than 6,500 people, and they landed on a sweet spot of 60 to 100 grams (dry weight) of whole grains a day. At that level, the perks showed up across several heart risk markers, from LDL cholesterol to blood pressure. Smaller benefits appeared at 30 to 40 grams.

The Takeaway: For a visual, 60 to 100 grams is roughly a third to a heaping half cup of dry quinoa or steel-cut oats. Trading refined grains for minimally processed whole ones is an easy first step, and a sandwich on whole-grain bread counts, too.

Keep in Mind: Most trials lasted about eight weeks, so the long-term picture still isn’t clear. The study also tracked risk factors instead of actual heart events, so future research will need to fill in the blanks.