全麥食品對身體有何益處?

Whole grain barley and other products containing whole or milled barley are now allowed to claim that they are able cut the risk of heart disease, according to a decision by the US Food and Drug Administration.

"Consumers can expect to see whole barley and dry milled barley products such as flakes, grits, flour, meal, and barley meal bearing the health claim," the FDA said.

To qualify for the health claim, the barley-containing foods must provide at least 0.75 grams of soluble fiber per serving of the food, the agency said.

Coronary heart disease kills about half a million people a year, the FDA said in the statement. Risk factors for CHD include high total cholesterol levels and high levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Scientists believe a high-fiber diet helps lower cholesterol levels.

根據美國食品與藥品管理局最近研究表明：全麥及其含有全麥或麥粉的產品能夠預防冠狀心臟病。

FDA聲稱“消費者有望看到全麥和幹麥粉產品如麥片、粗燕麥粉、精麪粉、粗麥粉和大麥粉等符合健康要求。”

媒體聲稱：爲了符合健康要求，大麥製品必須含有不少於0.75克的全麥可溶性纖維。

FDA聲稱：每年大概有50萬人死於冠狀心臟病。冠心病的致病因素包括高總膽固醇水平和高低密度的脂蛋白膽固醇水平。

科學家認爲高纖維的食物會有助於降低膽固醇含量。