Wholesome Grains: Insulin effects may explain healthful diet

Overweight people who eat whole grains rather than refined ones are better equipped to manage their blood-sugar concentrations, according to a new study. The finding, consistent with previous ones, could help explain the observation that diets rich in whole grains guard against type II diabetes and heart disease.

In the body, carbohydrates from grains and other food are converted into glucose, a sugar that circulates in the blood until the hormone insulin directs energy-hungry cells to absorb it.