We now know that fiber is particularly good for our intestinal transitand for the health of our colon. But what we didn’t know until then was that fiber is also good for our heart health. Here is an ignorance corrected, thanks to researchers from the Harvard Medical School in Boston, who analyzed data from 23,000 participants in the American nutritional study NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) to assess the link between dietary fiber intake and heart health. The researchers realized that there was a clear correlation between low dietary fiber intake and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Thus, those with the highest prevalence of metabolic syndrome (cholesterol, hypertension, blood sugar disorder) and obesity were in the group of 20% of participants with the lowest fiber intake.
On average, participants in this American nutritional study consumed only 16.2g of fiber per day, a figure well below the recommendations. We must indeed, if we follow the nutritional recommendations for a good balanced diet, assimilate 25 grams of fiber per day. The French are not better consumers since our daily fiber intake is 18.8 g each day.
If you are one of those who consume too little fiber but want to take care of your heart, here is how to compose a week of menus rich in fiber.