• General Info
  About Fiber
• Fiber and Your General Health
• Fiber and Disease
• Fiber and Food
• Fiber Supplements
• About the NFC
• Fiber FAQs PDF

Media FAQ

Fiber and Disease

• Can fiber prevent diabetes?
• Does fiber lower cholesterol?
• How does fiber lower cholesterol?

1. Can fiber prevent diabetes?
   Yes. By maintaining a high-fiber diet and an otherwise healthy lifestyle, fiber can help control and prevent certain types of diabetes. In the small intestine, soluble fiber binds to sugars, cholesterol and fat and slows their absorption into the body. If you have diabetes or are at risk for developing diabetes, speak with your health care provider about creating a high-fiber diet for your specific needs.
2. Does fiber lower cholesterol?
   Soluble fibers found in beans, breakfast cereals, fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce cholesterol. While whole grain fibers have the strongest effect on reducing cholesterol, several studies have shown that psyllium, an all natural fiber supplement, is more effective than other soluble fibers, taken in equal amounts, in decreasing cholesterol. Just seven grams of soluble fiber per day from psyllium may reduce the risk of heart disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration now allows products containing psyllium to state that these items, eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Oats and barley are the only foods that can make this claim.
3. How does fiber lower cholesterol?
   Soluble fiber, found in oat bran, oranges, apples, carrots and dried beans, absorbs water and turns into a gel. Moving through the small intestine, this substance entraps cholesterol components. Fewer cholesterol components in the small intestine lead to a lower cholesterol count in the blood and ultimately the heart.