Candidate foods in the Asia–Pacific region for cardiovascular protection: relevance of grains and grain‐based foods to coronary heart disease

Abstract

This review elucidates the importance of healthy dietary and lifestyle habits to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and cardiovascular diseases. Given published evidence of the poor compliance, increased cost, and decreased benefit/risk ratios of medical therapies, individuals (and populations) are encouraged to adopt healthy life habits. The three most atherogenic dietary risk factors are saturated fat, cholesterol and obesity. Dietary patterns associated with the consumption of grains and grain-based foods predict risk of CHD independently of other life habits. Epidemiological and intervention studies elucidating the strong protective associations of grains, cereal fibers and anti-oxidant vitamins on CHD are reviewed. In summary, the consumption of grains and grain-based cereals is repeatedly associated with the ingestion of many nutrients, e.g., dietary fiber and anti-oxidants, that alter energy balance and nutrient intakes to positively affect cardiovascular health, especially when combined with healthy life habits,