Eating lots of cereal fiber may reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes

PT Health Life – Chronic inflammation has negative health impacts, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Research shows that fiber in grains can help reduce inflammation, which can reduce the risk of disease.

1. Health benefits of fiber

A high-fiber diet is beneficial for digestive health . Most high-fiber foods tend to be low in calories, sugar, and fat, so they are generally healthy.

When we eat foods rich in fiber, we can feel fuller for longer, which helps reduce cravings and overeating.

Additionally, a high-fiber diet is often part of a low-cholesterol, heart-healthy diet.

foods high in fiber help you feel full quickly, reducing your cravings for other foods. Fiber in foods promotes digestion, helping to expel waste from the body faster, thereby reducing the presence of toxins in the body. Foods rich in fiber also contain many antioxidants and vitamin C.

Fiber is found in plant foods. There are two types of fiber: water-soluble and water-insoluble.

– Water-soluble fiber is abundant in beans such as soybeans, kidney beans, peas, vegetables, fruits…

– Fiber that does not dissolve in water such as: wheat bran, unmilled grains , vegetables. This fiber absorbs water, increases the mass of waste, making the process of waste elimination faster. Therefore, you should eat a variety of foods that contain both types of fiber.

The recommended fiber requirement for Vietnamese people is at least 20 – 25g/person/day. When eating foods containing fiber, you need to drink plenty of water to help push the fiber through the intestines easily.

2. The link between fiber and inflammation

Several studies have found that people who eat a high-fiber diet have lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood. CRP is a marker of inflammation that has been linked to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), heart disease, and diabetes .

A high-fiber diet can also help reduce inflammation by reducing body weight. High-fiber foods also feed the beneficial bacteria that live in the gut, which then release substances that help reduce inflammation levels throughout the body.

In a recent study, researchers from Columbia University looked at data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, an observational study looking at heart disease risk factors in adults aged 65 and older that included 4,125 participants.

Each participant’s diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and their inflammation levels were examined using blood samples collected at the start of the study.

The researchers looked at each person’s total fiber intake as well as individual fiber sources (grains, vegetables, and fruits). They then analyzed the data to see if there was a potential link between dietary fiber intake and inflammation levels.

Results showed that total fiber intake was consistently associated with reduced inflammation and a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Specifically, cereal fiber (but not fiber from fruits or vegetables) was linked to reduced inflammation. This finding suggests that cereal fiber may be more effective at reducing overall inflammation than other types of fiber, the researchers said.

Fiber from whole grains has also been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. However, the researchers say the link between fiber from whole grains and heart disease risk is more likely to be related to factors other than inflammation. For example, it’s possible that some people who eat a lot of whole grain fiber are replacing less healthy food choices with whole grains.

3. Healthy high-fiber cereals

While high consumption of refined grains has been linked to health problems like obesity and inflammation, whole grains have been linked to many health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes.

One effective way to add fiber is to eat whole grains. Whole grains are rich in B vitamins and antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage. They are high in fiber, which binds to fatty acids like LDL cholesterol and carries them out of the body before they can clog arteries and lead to heart attack or stroke.

Eating whole grains can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. They also feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome, which can help reduce inflammation in your body.

Whole grains have three parts:

• Bran: Is the hard outer layer. It contains fiber, minerals and antioxidants.
• Endosperm: The middle layer of the grain made up mostly of carbs.
• Germ: This inner layer contains vitamins, minerals, proteins, and plant compounds.

Common whole grains include:

• Bran
• Whole wheat bread
• Oatmeal
• Whole wheat pasta
• Brown rice
• Corn
• Seeds
• Barley
• Other whole grains