Swap some refined rice and flour for whole grains

24. Swap some refined rice and flour for whole grains

Cost: Whole grain options like brown rice, oats, and whole wheat flour cost slightly more than refined varieties, and they require no extra prep time. The main challenge is getting used to their different texture.

In plain terms: People who eat an extra 90 g of whole grains daily have a roughly 17% lower risk of dying during the same period. That amount equals about three servings. The risk continues to drop when intake rises to around 200 g per day.

Benefit: Pooled data from multiple observational studies (no intervention groups used) shows that adding 90 g of whole grains each day lowers mortality risk by roughly 17% (RR 0.83). This 90 g figure corresponds to three servings. The protective effect remains evident up to 210–225 g per day. Another pooled analysis found that each additional daily serving reduces risk by about 8% (RR 0.92).

Evidence grade: A

Sources: Aune D et al. (2016). Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMJ. <https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i2716>; Schwingshackl L et al. (2017). Food groups and risk of all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. <https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.117.153148>

Notes: You do not need to replace all refined grains with whole grains — switching to half is already within the range where benefits are most pronounced. Keep in mind these studies are purely observational; people who eat more whole grains tend to be healthier overall, which may inflate the reported numbers. Results across individual studies also vary widely (I² 83%; higher values indicate greater inconsistency between study findings).