New findings from The Nurses’ Health Study in 1998/1999 show that fiber, especially cereal products, protects against heart disease. This study examined the relationship between fiber consumption, as reported by nearly 70,000 women from 1984 through 1998. Woman who ate an average of 23 grams of fiber a day had a 47% lower risk of major coronary events, including myocardial infarction and/or fatal coronary heart disease, compared to those who ate about half as much fiber. When the researchers analyzed the individual effects of three’ different fiber sources (fruits, vegetables, and cereals), only cereal fiber significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A daily bowl of cold whole-grain breakfast cereal that supplies 5 or more grams of fiber cut heart disease risk by approximately 37%. This study was reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1999. In this particular study ono,ooo women by The Nurses’ Health Study, the ages of the women ranged from 37 to 64 years of age. None ofthe women in the study had a previous diagnosis of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, or high cholesterol. It is proposed that the increased consumption of whole-grain products may increase insulin sensitivity and lower triglyceride levels. Also, whole-grain products, including cereals, are important sources of phytoestrogens and may favorably affect blood coagulation activity (JAMA, October 27, 1999, volume 282′, number 16).

Fiber Reduces Risk of Strokes

The nutrients in fruits and vegetables, such as dietary fiber and antioxidants, are associated with a lower risk of heart disease, but few studies have examined their relationship to the risk for stroke. This study, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, described the association between fruit and vegetable intake and ischemic stroke in over 70,000 woman enrolled in The Nurses’ Health Study and 38,000 men in the health professional follow-up study. Everyone in this particular study had no history of cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

During the follow-up period, which included fourteen years for women and eight years for men, each increment of one serving of fruit or vegetables per day was associated with a 7% reduction for risk of ischemic stroke in women and men. This would translate into a 35% reduction in stroke for people who ate five servings daily of fruit and vegetables. This study showed that there was no further reduction in the risk of stroke above 5-6 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. The consumption of a variety of vegetables and fruits, such as cruciferous vegetables (examples: broccoli and cabbage), green, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits or vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables resulted in the largest decrease in risk. These are pretty impressive results for sticking to your high-fiber diet of fruits and veggies (JAMA, October 6, 1999, volume 282, number 13).

Fiber K.O.’s Heart Disease

In a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who ate three to four servings of whole grains a day had one-third to one-half the risk of developing heart disease as opposed to women who ate refined flour, such as white bread. It is important to check the ingredients in any commercial food to see that it is truly made ftom whole grains. In particular, it is important to check the ingredients in snack foods (for example, cookies, crackers, and chips), since many of these products contain not only refined white flour, but also partially hydrogenated oils (trans-fats), which actually can raise our cholesterol more than any other types of saturated fats.

In a recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, people on a high-fiber diet showed a significantly reduced risk from coronary heart disease and death from all causes. This study reviewed dietary data from the Scottish Heart Study on approximately 12,000 women and men, 40-59 years of age. Women with a high intake of fiber had the greatest reduced risk of mortality ftom all causes, including coronary heart disease. These results suggest that the current public health drive to increase your fiber intake to at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day should have beneficial effects on all causes of mortality.

These researchers attributed the beneficial effects of fiber to the fact that folate, the antioxidant-active flavonoids, and minerals (selenium, magnesium, and copper) will be co-ingested at higher levels in high-fiber, fruit and vegetable rich diets. In addition, the stool-bulking properties of fiber may play an important role in maintaing good health. Along with fiber, the study participants ingested other nutrients present in fruits and vegetables that may have an added effect on the prevention of coronary heart disease and on all types of mortality.

Reduce Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

A recent Harvard Medical School study found that middle-aged people who regularly ate cruciferous and leafy green vegetables, delayed the onset of the mental decline that normally comes with aging. Middle-aged people who were overweight had twice the risk of later developing dementia, according to a study at the 9th International Conference on Alzheimer’s disease. Eating lots of vegetables, and staying physically and socially active may significantly reduce
the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease according to several other recent studies.

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