Nutrition experts often suggest making small changes that can be maintained to improve health. New research from the University of Washington and other academic health centers in the United States suggests that measures as small as switching from white bread to whole wheat bread can lower heart disease risk. The study was reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association .

A look at health habits

More than 3,500 seniors who were free from heart disease underwent a medical examination and provided information about their smoking, exercise, and eating habits. The investigators kept track of the volunteers over the following 8 years, and documented the number who developed heart disease during that time.

Cereal fiber makes a difference

The volunteers who ate the most cereal fiber (fiber from whole-grain cereals and breads) had fewer heart attacks and strokes than those who ate the least. A high fiber diet may be indicative of a more healthful lifestyle overall, but even after considering other factors that could lower heart disease risk - diet, physical activity, smoking and drinking habits - cereal fiber appeared to reduce heart disease risk by about 20%. The high-cereal fiber foods that appeared to be most responsible for health benefits were dark breads like whole wheat and rye rather than high-fiber bran or granola cereals. Interestingly, fruits and vegetables, which are also good sources of fiber, did not have the same protective effect.

How fiber helps

Fiber may influence health in a number of ways. It has been shown to improve cholesterol profiles, lower blood pressure, control blood sugar levels, and reduce blood clotting, all of which benefit the cardiovascular system. It is also possible that high-fiber foods replace other foods in the diet that may be less "heart healthy". Indeed, the study volunteers who ate the most cereal fiber tended to eat less saturated fat and red meat.

Advice to consumers

To increase your intake of cereal fiber, be sure to read the label and look for breads that list "whole grain" or "whole wheat" as the first ingredient. Just because a bread is dark in color does not mean it is made from whole grain. Replace white bread toast with whole-wheat toast and prepare your favorite sandwich on rye or other whole-grain bread. The authors of the study emphasize that this is an inexpensive and convenient way to possibly protect health.

Source

Cereal, fruit, and vegetable fiber intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease in elderly individuals.
D. Mozaffarian, S. Kumanyika, R. Lemaitre,  et al., JAMA, 2003, vol. 289, pp. 1659--1666

Links

• Fueling Youth With Great Food
• High Fiber Grains Protect Against Diabetes
• How to Increase Your Intake of Fruits and Vegetables
• How to Increase the Soluble Fiber in Your Diet
• To quickly access additional accurate information on this and other nutrition-related topics, visit Tufts University's Nutrition Navigator