Consistent consumption of whole grains may reduce the risk of death due to ischemic heart disease in postmenopausal women.

​This study assessed how high whole grain diets affect the risk of dying from ischemic heart disease (IHD) in middle-aged and elderly woman. Researchers compared dietary patterns with mortality rates among 34,492 postmenopausal women who enrolled in the Iowa Women's Health Study. 

Researchers observed that death from ischemic heart disease is less likely to occur in heavy consumers of whole grains than in women who refrained from eating these foods. Evidence from this study show that larger intake of whole grains may play a vital role in lowering the risk of deaths due to ischemic heart disease in postmenopausal women.