WASHINGTON, DC — Findings from a recent study slated for an upcoming issue of the Journal of Nutrition revealed that substituting foods made from refined corn flour and corn bran can lower LDL cholesterol concentrations from 5%-13.3%.
The study was led by a team of researchers at Arizona State University with funding from the Corn division of the North American Millers’ Association, which is part of the Grain Foods Foundation. It was designed to ensure that findings would properly illustrate the practicality of incorporating corn bran-enriched flour into a heart-healthy diet.
“People often think that dietary changes must be robust and significant to have a real impact on cardiovascular health and metabolic regulation,” said Corrie Whisner, PhD, lead researcher and associate professor in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. “The bottom line is this: Corn is unique and underappreciated. The art and science of refining grains and making full use of corn bran can result in delicious foods that, in this case, also happen to produce real results for heart health.”
The randomized crossover clinical trial compared the impact of whole-grain corn meal, refined corn meal, and a blend of refined corn meal and corn bran. Participants were provided with baked goods developed by a master baker well-versed in food formulation techniques and specialty ingredients used in common grocery store foods.
Participants cycled through each food intervention for four weeks to evenly assess the impacts. Findings showed that when consuming the blend, 70% of participants saw reductions in LDL cholesterol concentrations.
“The art and science of refining grains and making full use of corn bran can result in delicious foods that, in this case, also happen to produce real results for heart health.” — Corrie Whisner, PhD | lead researcher and associate professor, College of Health Solutions | Arizona State University
No digestive discomforts were reported, but during the whole-grain corn meal phase, there was an increase in Agathobaculum, a common bacterium in the gut microbiota. The change was not seen in the other phases.
“The increase in Agathobaculum could be due to the greater diversity of polyphenols found in whole grain corn, which has the highest antioxidant capacity (compared to wheat, oats, and rice), but the study did not analyze this possibility,” said Dr. Whisner. “Nevertheless, while the influence of whole grains on the microbiota varies from person to person, some universals are generally known: Fibers in whole grains can be fermented by microbes into butyrate, and both fiber and butyrate are frequently associated with a healthy gut. These findings support that understanding.”
The 36 study participants were all located in Phoenix, AZ, and ranged in age from 18-67. They included a mix of women and men who entered the study with mild-to-moderately elevated LDL cholesterol levels. None of the participants were taking cholesterol-lowering medications.
