Whole wheat flour, bioactive components and chronic disease risk
What it found
In studies of people, eating whole wheat was linked to lower rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
The authors credit plant chemicals and fiber for these links.
What they found
Studies in people
Lower chronic disease risk
Studies tracking groups of people found that eating whole wheat was linked to lower rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Other findings
Plant chemicals and fiber
The authors say the health benefits of whole wheat foods come from their natural plant chemicals and dietary fiber.
Better processing methods
Newer ways of making wheat-based foods may be able to improve their nutritional quality.
What the authors conclude
- They hope their summary will encourage more research into whole wheat foods.
- They suggest that developing and eating more whole wheat products could help lower the risk of long-term diseases in people.
How it was done
Past studies tracking groups of people found that those who ate whole wheat had lower rates of several long-term illnesses. The authors wanted to gather the latest findings on the natural compounds in whole wheat that might explain this.
They gathered and summarized current research on the natural compounds in whole wheat foods and how they might work in the body. They also looked at recent advances in food processing methods that could improve the nutritional quality of wheat products.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- Because this work gathers past studies rather than running a new trial, it cannot prove that whole wheat directly prevents disease.
- Some of the underlying mechanisms described may come from lab or animal tests, which do not always match what happens in people.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), People's Republic of China; University of Maryland, United States
The paper
- Title
- Bioactive Components and Health Beneficial Properties of Whole Wheat Foods
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Liu J, Yu LL, Wu Y (2020). Bioactive Components and Health Beneficial Properties of Whole Wheat Foods. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.0c00705PubMed 32324395DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error