Beyond fiber: Whole grains and health

Whole grains became part of the human diet with the advent of agriculture about 10,000 years ago.¹ For the last 3000 to 4000 years, a majority of the world’s population has relied upon whole grains as a main portion of the diet. In North America, wheat, oats, barley, and rye were harvested as staple foods as early as the American Revolution. It is only within the past 100 years that a majority of the population has consumed refined grain products. Prior to this time, gristmills were used for grinding grains. They did not completely separate the bran and germ from the white endosperm and produced limited amounts of purified flour. In 1873, the roller mill was introduced and it more efficiently separated the bran and germ from the endosperm. Widespread use of the roller mill fueled an increasing consumer demand for refined grain products and was a significant factor in the dramatic decline in whole-grain consumption observed from about 1870 to 1970.¹.