CONTROLS WEIGHT - Women and men who ate more whole grains consistently gained less weight over an eight- to 12-year period in Harvard studies. Whole grains decrease hunger by making you feel full and by curbing blood sugar spikes that trigger appetite.

CURBS COLON CANCER - Women who ate more than 4 1/2 daily servings of whole grains were one-third less apt to develop colon cancer than those who ate less than 1 1/2 servings a day, a new Swedish study finds.

DEFEATS DIABETES - People who eat the most whole grains, especially high-fiber cereals, are 20% to 30% less likely to develop insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, according to research from Tufts, Harvard and the University of Minnesota.

STOPS HEART DISEASE - Harvard investigators found that men who ate a bowl of whole-grain cereal every day cut their risk of dying of cardiovascular disease by 20%. In another Harvard study, eating highbran whole grains three times a day cut the risk of heart disease nearly 30%. Researchers declared the bran in cereals particularly potent.

DROPS BLOOD PRESSURE - Eating a whole-grain oat cereal, such as oatmeal, every day for three months enabled 73% of those with high blood pressure to reduce or eliminate their need for medication, University of Minnesota investigators reported.

SAVES LIVES Older - women in Iowa who ate whole grains containing 4.7 grams of fiber daily were 17% less likely to die of any cause in a 10-year period than were women who ate refined grains, says a University of Minnesota study.

Direction

 1. On the first day, combine the candied orange peel, candied citron, candied pineapple, red and green candied cherries, currants, raisins, walnuts, and almonds. Combine the orange juice and bourbon; pour over the fruit and nuts. Stir and then cover tightly. Let the fruit marinate in a cool place for 1 full day, or at least 20 hours.

 2. On the second day, line two 9x5 inch loaf pans with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease the inside with cooking spray. Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and stir with a whisk to blend.

 3. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. Stir in the egg yolks until blended and then mix in the applesauce, bourbon and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until they can hold a stiff peak. Fold into the batter. Gently mix in the fruit and nut mixture with all of its juices. Divide evenly between the prepared pans. Cover loosely with a towel and let the batter stand overnight in a cool, dry place.

 4. On the third day, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place a large baking pan on the bottom shelf and pour boiling water into it until almost full. Place a baking sheet on the center shelf and place the fruit cakes on the baking sheet.

 5.Bake for 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven. Check the water level and refill if needed. Cover the cakes with a sheet of parchment paper, taking care not to let it touch the shelf. Continue to bake until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour more. Cool fruitcakes in the pans, set over a wire rack. Once cool, remove the cakes from the pans, and leave the parchment paper on. Sprinkle with more bourbon if desired and wrap in aluminum foil. Place in a tin or other sealed container overnight before serving.

 

Makes 9 servings.