Health and Nutrition Studies Related to Cereal Biodiversity: A Participatory Multi-Actor Literature Review Approach.

Ignacio Martínez,Stefano Benedettelli,Gianluca Stefani,Francesco Sofi,Ismael Rodriguez Y Hurtado,Leonardo Cei,María Carrascosa-García,Patrick De Kochko,Edneia Gagliardi,Monica Dinu,Giuditta Pagliai,Bettina Bussi,Giuseppe De Santis,Giovanna Sacchi,Pierre Riviere,Riccardo Bocci,Paola Tosi

doi:10.3390/nu10091207

Ignacio Martínez, Stefano Benedettelli + Show 15 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10091207

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Abstract

Recently, a large and growing body of literature has investigated the health potential of different wheat species. In particular, a considerable number of studies dealing with nutritional aspects has grown up around the theme of the recovery of ancient wheat varieties (species that have remained unchanged over the last hundred years). According to several studies, indeed, ancient varieties present a healthier nutritional profile than modern ones. In the framework of the European project “CERERE, CEreal REnaissance in Rural Europe: embedding diversity in organic and low-input food systems”, this paper aimed to review recent research on the issue of health and nutritional cereal systems by adopting an innovative and participatory multi-actor approach which involved practitioners along with researchers. The participatory approach is the main innovation and peculiarity of this literature review. Nevertheless, the review highlights the many positive effects derived from eating whole and ancient grains such as a significant reduction in the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and also a more favorable long-term weight management and increase in satiety. This review may be considered as a fruitful starting point that integrates research results to foster current and future healthier and sustainable practices in cereal systems.

Highlights

Consumed by billions of people, cereal grains are the main staple food in many diets, providing a large percentage of daily energy intake
Eaten in the recommended amounts, whole grains have been associated with a significant reduction in the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer [16], metabolic syndrome [17] and hypertension [18,19], more favorable long-term weight management [20], and an increase in satiety [21]
The present paper aimed to review the research on the effects of alternative cereal systems by adopting an innovative and participatory multi-actor approach which involved both practitioners and researchers

Summary

Introduction

Consumed by billions of people, cereal grains are the main staple food in many diets, providing a large percentage of daily energy intake. It has been suggested that whole wheat flour can modulate the metabolic activity of the gut microbiota to increase the production of beneficial metabolites [3,4,5]. Ancient grains (defined as those grains that have remained unchanged over the last hundred years) have gained interest since several studies have suggested that they are higher or characteristic in some components such as minerals and polyphenols [6,7,8]. Efforts are being made to induce people to replace refined cereals with whole and ancient grains [9,10]

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