To prevent chronic diseases with fiber and whole grains

Prevent chronic diseases with fiber-rich nutrition

A diet rich in fiber and whole grains not only helps digestion but also counteracts chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart attack. This is the result of a study from New Zealand.

So healthy are fiber

In recent years, numerous scientific studies have been conducted that have shown how healthy fiber is for humans. German researchers found that a fiber-rich diet relieves chronic inflammatory joint disease. In addition, the healthy fibers in hypertension work as well as blood pressure pills. Furthermore, they are helpful against the constant hunger and thus help with weight loss. But that's not all: With fiber, you can also counteract chronic diseases.

According to a recent study, a diet high in fiber and whole grains can counteract chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart attack. (Image: photocrew / fotolia.com)

Counteract chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart attack

Those who consume plenty of fiber and whole grains can counteract chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, strokes and heart attacks.

This is the conclusion of a large survey study published in the journal "The Lancet".

The scientists of the University of Otago in New Zealand had evaluated 185 observational studies and the results of 58 clinical studies with over 4,600 participants.

As the Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE) writes on its website, the subjects who were healthy at the beginning made detailed information about their dietary habits and were medically assisted during the study period.

In the clinical studies, the researchers analyzed how a high-fiber diet affects various parameters such as blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipids.

No causal relationships demonstrated

High fiber intake (at least 25 to 29 g daily) has been shown to reduce mortality from cardiovascular disease and other ailments by 15 to 30 percent compared to low consumption (less than 15 g daily).

The incidence of heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer was reduced by 16 to 24 percent.

A further evaluation of the clinical studies showed that a high-fiber diet can lower body weight, cholesterol and blood pressure.

For some diseases such as diabetes mellitus type 2 and colorectal cancer, the positive effects could be increased by a higher fiber intake than 30 grams per day.

However, the authors generally stated that observational studies can not establish causal relationships.

A fiber-rich diet can be associated with an overall healthier lifestyle. Therefore, further investigations are necessary to better understand the background.

For cereal products often resort to the wholegrain variant

According to recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE), adults should consume at least 30 grams of fiber per day. Many people find it difficult to reach this benchmark.

"With a lot of fruit, vegetables and legumes, the fiber consumption can be easily increased," said Harald Seitz, nutritionist from BZfE.

"When it comes to cereal products such as bread, pasta and rice, you can often resort to the whole grain variant," says Seitz. "The slightly more bitter taste of, for example, wholewheat pasta is just a bit strange at the beginning."

Fiber also has other beneficial effects on health. For example, they increase the feeling of satiety and thereby help with weight control. In addition, they promote a healthy intestinal flora. (Ad)