Acknowledge emerging evidence of beneficial effects of whole grains in maintaining a healthy biome

While respecting the need for the D.G.A.C. to be cautious when it comes to issues that may not yet be characterized as settled science, the grains group said the emergence of promising information regarding a healthy microbiome should at least be acknowledged. The human microbiome refers to the collection of microbes and microbiota that inhabit the body, mostly within the gastrointestinal tract.

“After conducting an exploratory search the 2015 D.G.A.C. concluded that there was insufficient evidence to address the role of diet in the microbiome,” the grains group said. “While we agree that this is an emerging area of study, we would also like to emphasize that published research indicates that grains, especially those with high amounts of resistant starches, are important for maintaining a healthy composition of gut bacteria.”

Noting that data in the few studies published to date suggest a “very prominent role for grain-based foods in creating a healthy microbiome,” the grains group said the subject should at a minimum be acknowledged in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines, “especially as an area for future study.”