MORE: 9 Secrets to Living Longer It’s the first study to suggest that heart attack patients benefited from adding fiber (found in whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables such as the humble artichoke) to their daily diet. An earlier study found that people at risk of heart disease, but who hadn’t yet experienced some kind of a heart event, could lower their chances of having a heart attack by eating more high fiber foods. Studies show that fiber-rich foods can combat inflammation, a potential trigger for heart attacks, as well as keep levels of LDL cholesterol, which can build up in heart arteries, down. MORE: The Bad Mood That’s Totally Contagious But the findings, published in BMJ.com, hint that fiber may be helping more than the heart, since those eating higher amounts were able to lower their risk of dying from any cause, not just heart disease. It may also help to lower risk of colon cancer by reducing the time that potentially cancer-causing toxins spend in the intestines, and regulate blood sugar levels by slowing the absorption of sugar in diabetics, reducing their risk of complications. Fiber also plays an important role in fighting obesity and its unhealthy consequences. The time it takes to chew fiber makes the body feel less hungry, and its bulk also makes meals feel bigger, which cuts down on overeating. This article was written by Alice Park and originally appeared on Time.com.
