A new study shows eating dietary fiber specifically from fruits and cereals lowers the risk of heart disease. Previous research has suggested a connection between higher intake of fiber and lower risk of heart disease. However, few studies have actually looked at the dietary fiber from different sources and the relationship to heart disease. In a recent study researchers analyzed several studies to determine whether the source of dietary fiber had any effect on the reduction in heart disease risk.
The research included information from 91,058 men and 245,186 women. Each study recorded what kind of foods and how much the participant ate. Researchers say among the total participants, 5,249 suffered from heart disease and 2,011 died from coronary heart disease during the six- to 10-year follow-ups. For each 10-gram increment of fiber consumed per day, study researchers found a 14-percent decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease. They also found for each 10-gram increment of fiber consumed per day, there’s a 27-percent decreased risk of dying from coronary heart disease. Specifically, researchers found fiber from cereal and fruit seems to be more protective than fiber from vegetables.Thus researchers say the recommendations to eat a diet that includes an abundance of fiber-rich foods to prevent coronary heart disease is based on a wealth of consistent scientific evidence.
