Fiber and cholesterol
The American Heart Association Eating Plan suggests that
you eat foods that are high in soluble and insoluble
fiber. Foods that are high in soluble fiber, including
oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries,
and apple pulp, have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol. It is recommended
that people eat 20 to 35 grams of soluble and insoluble fiber each day.
The greatest cholesterol-lowering effect of soluble fiber occurs in
people who have
high cholesterol levels. One study found that dietary
fiber intake from 25 to 30 grams lowered the risk of
coronary artery disease (CAD) by 12% in U.S. men and
women.1
Insoluble fiber doesn't seem to
affect blood cholesterol but it promotes healthy bowel movement. Foods that are
high in insoluble fiber include whole wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran,
cabbage, beets, carrots, brussels sprouts, turnips, cauliflower, and apple
skin. Fiber from such foods is better for the bowel than fiber supplements,
such as psyllium seed products.
Psyllium (a common ingredient in
nonprescription fiber supplements and laxatives) has been used to boost the
effectiveness of some
lipid-lowering drugs while reducing the stomach upset
commonly caused by those drugs.2 But products
containing psyllium are not recommended to replace foods as a source of
fiber.
Citations
-
Bazzano LA, et al. (2003). Dietary fiber intake and
reduced risk of coronary heart disease in U.S. men and women. Archives of Internal Medicine, 163(16): 1897–1904.
-
Moreyra AE, et al. (2005). Effect of
combining psyllium fiber with simvastatin in lowering cholesterol. Archives of Internal Medicine,
165(10): 1161–1166.
Last Updated:
July 11, 2008
Bazzano LA, et al. (2003). Dietary fiber intake and
reduced risk of coronary heart disease in U.S. men and women. Archives of Internal Medicine, 163(16): 1897–1904.
Moreyra AE, et al. (2005). Effect of
combining psyllium fiber with simvastatin in lowering cholesterol. Archives of Internal Medicine,
165(10): 1161–1166.
