Refined corn flour plus added corn bran, significantly drops cholesterol, according to study. Credit: Marina Massel The recent randomized crossover clinical trial published in the Journal of Nutrition shows that substituting foods made from refined corn flour and corn bran can reduce LDL cholesterol levels by 5% to 13.3% within four weeks.
The trial compared the impact of whole-grain corn meal, refined corn meal, and a blend (refined corn meal plus corn bran) and found that 70% of the participants saw significant reductions in LDL cholesterol concentrations when consuming the blend. For the other corn flours, participants did not see a decrease in their LDL or total cholesterol levels, nor did they see an increase. “People often think that dietary changes must be robust and significant to have a real impact on cardiovascular health and metabolic regulation,” said Corrie Whisner, PhD, lead researcher and Associate Professor in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University.
“The bottom line is this: corn is unique and underappreciated. The art and science of refining grains and making full use of corn bran can result in delicious foods that, in this case, also happen to produce real results for heart health.” Practical Dietary Interventions Dr.
Whisner noted that the team intentionally centered the study around avoiding dramatic dietary changes to create a realistic intervention that could be easily folded into a regular diet. Researchers provided study pa.