A study recently published in the Journal of Nutrition examined the effects of replacing foods made from refined corn flour and corn bran on reducing LDL cholesterol levels, highlighting a decrease between 5% and 13.3% in just four weeks.
The research, conducted through a randomized crossover clinical trial at Arizona State University, compared the impact of consuming whole corn flour, refined flour, and a mixture of the two (refined flour plus bran) on a group of 36 participants aged between 18 and 67 years.
The most significant result was observed in the group consuming the mixture: 70% of the participants recorded a notable reduction in LDL cholesterol concentration.
In contrast, those who consumed the other two types showed no changes in either LDL cholesterol or total cholesterol levels.
Dr.
Corrie Whisner, the principal researcher of the study and an associate professor at the College of Health Solutions at the aforementioned university, emphasizes how even small dietary changes can have significant impacts on cardiovascular health without the need for drastic dietary modifications.
The study’s intent was indeed to propose a realistic intervention that could be easily integrated into the daily diet.
During the study, participants were provided with baked goods to control the type and amount of flour used; these products were developed by a baker specialized in food techniques.
Despite this, no significant or consistent variations were found in the diversity of the participants’ gut microbiota; only two bacterial genera showed notable differences depending on the treated phases.
Additionally, it is interesting to note that during the whole flour phase, an increase in the genus Agathobaculum – common in the gut microbiota – was observed, potentially due to the greater polyphenolic diversity present in whole corn compared to other cereals like wheat, oats, or rice.
However, this hypothesis was not directly analyzed in the study.
These findings support the understanding that the fibers present in whole grains can be fermented by microbes, bringing benefits to gut health.
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