gents and grains

Men who want to lower their risk of developing hypertension may want to up their daily intake of whole-grain products, according to a study in the September 2009 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers who followed more than 51,000 men (aged 40–75 in 1986) enrolled
in the ongoing prospective Health Professionals Follow-Up Study found that those with a higher whole-grain intake,
especially total bran, had a lower risk
of becoming hypertensive.

“In summary, we found an independent inverse association between intake of whole grains and incident hypertension in men,” the authors wrote. “Bran may play an important role in this association. These findings have implications for future dietary guidelines and prevention of hypertension.”