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High fiber intake has been linked in numerous studies to
a reduced risk of colon cancer, but recent evidence suggests
it may do a world of good for an even more vital organ: the
heart.
In a study published in the Feb. 23, 2004 issue of the Archives
of Internal Medicine, data were compiled from 10 U.S.
and European studies involving a total of 330,000 adults.
Researchers evaluated data on the subjects' diets, paying
particular attention to the average amount of fiber - in the
form of whole grains, fruits and vegetables - consumed by
each subject.
Analysis of all 10 studies made one thing perfectly clear:
Consuming fiber derived from cereal and fruits reduces the
risk of heart disease. More than 5,000 study participants
were diagnosed with heart disease and 2,011 died from the
condition. While the risk of developing heart disease was
reduced by 14 percent for every 10 grams of fiber eaten per
day, the risk of dying from the disease was reduced by 25
percent when the same amount of fiber was consumed.
With America in the midst of a low-carbohydrate-diet frenzy,
David L. Katz, MD, MPH, associate clinical professor and director
of the Yale Prevention Research Center at Yale University,
emphasized the importance of fiber: "It is the age of carbohydrate
restriction. And in most instances, rapid weight loss is pursued
on diets that toss out whole grains and fruits along with
simple sugar and refined starch."
So, while you're trying to get in shape and lose weight,
don't eliminate all of the whole grains, fruits and vegetables
from your diet! In the short term, you may drop the pounds,
but in the long term, you'll put your heart at risk.
Reference:
Pereira MA, et al. Dietary fiber and risk of coronary heart
disease: a pooled analysis of cohort studies. Archives
of Internal Medicine Feb. 23, 2004;164(4), pp370-6.
Reinberg S. 'Good' carbs cut heart disease risk. HealthFinder
(www.healthfinder.gov),
May 17, 2004.
Additional information on the benefits of proper nutrition
can be found at https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html.
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