New clinical research links refined cornmeal flour and corn bran mix to better heart health

08 Aug 2024 — Switching from refined corn flour to a version with corn bran reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 5% to 13.3% in a four-week randomized crossover clinical trial. The researchers reported these changes in 70% of the study’s participants, all of whom entered the trial with mild to moderately elevated LDL cholesterol. 

The study compared the impact of whole grain cornmeal, refined cornmeal and a blend of refined cornmeal with corn bran. The team found no changes in LDL or total cholesterol levels for the other two types of corn flour.