Eat Whole Grains for a Flatter Stomach

We've all got those pants in the back of the closet that we're dying to fit into again. Did you know that whole grains might help get you there?

It's true. When dieters traded their usual refined-grain carbs (like white rice or plain bagels) for whole-grain products (like whole-wheat bread or spelt pasta), they lost even more belly fat.

Strive for Five
Dieters mistakenly believe they have to pass on carbs. But low-cal dieters in a recent study ate as many as five daily servings of whole grains -- and still lost weight. (Do you know which products are mostly whole grains? Take this quiz and find out.)

Another Point for Whole Grains
The whole-grain lovers also scored a win on heart health. Their blood levels of C-reactive protein -- a plasma protein linked to heart disease -- dropped 38 percent compared with no change at all in the refined-grain group.

What's In a Grain?
The belly-blasting benefits are likely due to the fabulous fill-you-up-without-fattening-you-up fiber that most whole grains have. Whole grains also hook you up with important trace minerals, like magnesium, as well as phytoestrogens and antioxidants. Here's some help with getting on the whole-grain train:

• Check labels. This is what you should look for on the ingredients list.
• See if you're already getting enough. Complete this food questionnaire and find out how close you are to the RealAge Optimum.
• Be adventurous with new grains. Ever had barley and wild rice salad with pomegranate seeds? Here's the recipe.

Look up more whole-grain recipes in the RealAge Recipe Finder.

The effects of whole grain-enriched hypocaloric diet on cardiovascular disease risk factors in men and women with metabolic syndrome. Katcher, H. I., Legro, R. S., Kunselman, A. R., Gillies, P. J., Demers, L. M., Bagshaw, D. M., Kris-Etherton, P. M., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2008 Jan;87(1):79-90.