Milling & Baking News - June 1, 2010 - 17

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Briefly, committee affirms benefits
of enriched grains in diet
WASHINGTON - A resounding, if
brief, endorsement of enriched grains,
was among highlights of the sixth
and final meeting of the 2010 Dietary
Guidelines Advisory Committee.
Conducted as a webcast, the meeting
was held May 12 in Washington.
During the meeting, committee
members fine-tuned key points that
will be included in the group's report
to the Secretary of Agriculture and the
Secretary of the Department of Health
and Human Services. The report, to
be prepared in the weeks ahead, will
be considered this summer by the two
departments as the basis for the seventh edition of the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans, to be published this fall.
In addition to positive comments
about enriched grains, the carbohydrates discussion at the meeting featured statements encouraging greater
intake of whole grains and discouraging using the glycemic index as a
means of weight loss or disease prevention. Also notable were statements
by the committee that were guarded
at best in associating sugar-sweetened
beverages with weight gain. The committee also recommended and explained a gradual but dramatic reduction in sodium intake.
Heading the carbohydrates discussion was Joanne L. Slavin, a professor
in the Department of Food Science
and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. While discussion of
grains and fiber occupied more than 15
minutes of the meeting, the comments
about enriched grains lasted only 17
seconds and were part of a lengthier
discussion of whole grains. Still, the
comments were strongly supportive.
"Enriched and fortified grains provide important nutrients; hence, individuals are encouraged to consume
grains as both fiber-rich whole grains
and enriched grains," the group concluded. "To ensure nutrient adequacy,
especially for folate, individuals who
consume all of their grains as whole
grains should include some that have
been fortified with folic acid."
Summarizing the overall findings,
again, mostly related to whole grains,
Dr. Slavin said, "Dietary fiber from
whole food protects against cardiovascular disease, obesity and is essential
for optimal digestive health."
Offering implications of its findings, the group said Americans are not
consuming enough whole grains, "an
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important source of dietary fiber and
other nutrients."
After noting the benefits of enriched
and fortified grains, the group warned
that the public should not increase
overall intake of grains.
"Total grains servings are typically
over consumed in the U.S., so recommendations to consume more grains
are not supported by this review,"
Dr. Slavin said. "Advice should be to
make more grain choices
as fiber-rich whole grains,
rather than eat more
grains. The lack of standards for whole grain
foods and measuring
whole grain content of
foods also make any recommendations difficult to
implement."
The group discussed
the latter point at considerable length, and appeared troubled by what
they said were a range of
products described as whole
grain but actually not containing whole grains.
Summarizing findings about the
glycemic index was Xavier Pi-Sunyer,
a professor of medicine, Columbia
University College of Physicians and
Surgeons. Dr. Pi-Sunyer also heads the
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes,
and Nutrition at St. Luke's-Roosevelt
Hospital Center in New York.
Glycemic index and weight loss
Regarding weight loss and cancer,
the group's findings about the glycemic index were particularly emphatic.
"Strong and consistent evidence
shows that glycemic index and/or
glycemic load are not associated with
body weight and do not lead to greater weight loss or better weight maintenance," Dr. Pi-Sunyer said. "Abundant, strong epidemiological evidence
demonstrates that there is no association between glycemic index or load
and cancer."
At the same time, he acknowledged
a "moderate body of inconsistent evidence" indicating a relationship between a high glycemic index diet and
type 2 diabetes. Still, he said "strong,
convincing evidence shows little association between glycemic load and
type 2 diabetes."
Dr. Pi-Sunyer went on to say
evidence was too limited to draw

Washington

conclusions about the relationship
between glycemic index or load and
cardiovascular disease.
Confronting sugar 'demonization'
The group noted that the widespread "demonization" of sugar
and sugar-sweetened beverages as a
unique cause of obesity was not supported in science.
"Added sugars as found in sugarsweetened beverages are not different
than other extra calories in the diet
for energy intake and body weight,"
Dr. Slavin said. "Moderate epidemiologic evidence suggests
greater consumption of
sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with
increased body weight.
In isocaloric conditions,
added sugars, including
sugar-sweetened beverages, are not more likely to
cause weight gain than any
other source of energy."
Discussing
these
points, several members
of the panel spoke about
high-fructose corn syrup
and the widespread belief
that switching from H.F.C.S.
to sugar as an ingredient may have
health benefits.
Urging the group to address this issue in its report to the U.S.D.A. and
H.H.S. was Thomas A. Pearson, senior
associate dean, clinical research and
Albert D. Kaiser Professor, Department of Community and Preventive
Medicine, University of Rochester
School of Medicine and Dentistry,
Rochester, N.Y.
"A calorie is a calorie, but the point
is, that's not what's out there in the
press," he said. "We're trying to advise the American people about what
to think."
Inconclusive data on satiety
Dr. Slavin also turned briefly to the
subject of satiety, but warned that research on the subject was difficult to
conduct and the science was inconclusive.
"Many factors affect satiety and
most are conducted in laboratory settings to control for variables," she
said. "Thus, results may not be generalized to the more complicated eating
environment of the outside world.
"Food high in dietary fiber generally
is more satiating than low fiber foods,
although some fibers added to drinks
have little impact on satiety. Overall,
small changes in the macronutrient
Milling & Baking News June 1, 2010 / 17

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Milling & Baking News - June 1, 2010

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