INRA, UMR 1019 Nutrition Humaine, F-63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France.
Nutr Res Rev. 2010 Jun;23(1):65-134. doi: 10.1017/S0954422410000041. Epub 2010 Jun 22.
Epidemiological studies have clearly shown that whole-grain cereals can protect against obesity, diabetes, CVD and cancers. The specific effects of food structure (increased satiety, reduced transit time and glycaemic response), fibre (improved faecal bulking and satiety, viscosity and SCFA production, and/or reduced glycaemic response) and Mg (better glycaemic homeostasis through increased insulin secretion), together with the antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties of numerous bioactive compounds, especially those in the bran and germ (minerals, trace elements, vitamins, carotenoids, polyphenols and alkylresorcinols), are today well-recognised mechanisms in this protection. Recent findings, the exhaustive listing of bioactive compounds found in whole-grain wheat, their content in whole-grain, bran and germ fractions and their estimated bioavailability, have led to new hypotheses. The involvement of polyphenols in cell signalling and gene regulation, and of sulfur compounds, lignin and phytic acid should be considered in antioxidant protection. Whole-grain wheat is also a rich source of methyl donors and lipotropes (methionine, betaine, choline, inositol and folates) that may be involved in cardiovascular and/or hepatic protection, lipid metabolism and DNA methylation. Potential protective effects of bound phenolic acids within the colon, of the B-complex vitamins on the nervous system and mental health, of oligosaccharides as prebiotics, of compounds associated with skeleton health, and of other compounds such as alpha-linolenic acid, policosanol, melatonin, phytosterols and para-aminobenzoic acid also deserve to be studied in more depth. Finally, benefits of nutrigenomics to study complex physiological effects of the 'whole-grain package', and the most promising ways for improving the nutritional quality of cereal products are discussed.
流行病学研究清楚地表明，全谷物可以预防肥胖、糖尿病、心血管疾病和癌症。食物结构（增加饱腹感、减少转运时间和血糖反应）、纤维（改善粪便体积和饱腹感、粘度和短链脂肪酸产生，和/或降低血糖反应）和镁（通过增加胰岛素分泌改善血糖稳态）的具体作用，以及众多生物活性化合物的抗氧化和抗癌特性，尤其是那些在麸皮和胚芽中的（矿物质、微量元素、维生素、类胡萝卜素、多酚和烷基间苯二酚），是这种保护作用的公认机制。最近的发现，即发现了全谷物小麦中存在的生物活性化合物的详尽清单、它们在全谷物、麸皮和胚芽部分的含量及其估计的生物利用度，导致了新的假设。应考虑多酚在细胞信号转导和基因调控中的作用，以及含硫化合物、木质素和植酸在抗氧化保护中的作用。全谷物小麦也是甲基供体和脂类营养素（蛋氨酸、甜菜碱、胆碱、肌醇和叶酸）的丰富来源，这些物质可能参与心血管和/或肝脏保护、脂质代谢和 DNA 甲基化。在结肠内结合酚酸、B 族复合维生素对神经系统和心理健康的潜在保护作用、作为益生元的低聚糖、与骨骼健康相关的化合物以及其他化合物（如α-亚麻酸、植物固醇、褪黑素、植物甾醇和对氨基苯甲酸）的潜在保护作用也值得更深入地研究。最后，讨论了营养基因组学在研究“全谷物整体”复杂生理作用方面的益处，以及改善谷物产品营养质量的最有前途的方法。
