Heart Health
High-fiber diet protects against cardiovascular problems
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Want to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and colorectal cancer? Eat more fiber, says a meta-analysis published online January 10 by The Lancet.
Authors reviewed data from 185 prospective studies and 58 clinical trials and found that people who ate the most fiber had a 15% to 30% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease or developing diabetes or colon cancer, compared with people in the study who ate the least. People appeared to get the biggest benefit when they ate between 25g and 29 g of fiber a day.
High fiber intake was also associated with lower body weight, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol. High-fiber foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
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