Whole-grain foods are all the rage these days, and for good reason. But do you know what those good reasons happen to be? Chances are you do; reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes, lower cholesterol, etc. Nevertheless, there may be some you're not so aware of, such as protecting against asthma, pulmonary disease, and certain digestive disorders.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that whole grains can target harden the body against diseases caused by inflammation, chief among them being those mentioned above. In the study, researchers found that people who regularly ate whole grains lowered their risk of dying from one of these inflammation-related diseases by as much as 35 percent.

Some great whole grain sources include 100 percent whole wheat bread, brown rice, steel cut oats, and 100 percent whole grain breakfast cereal.