An apple a day, you know what they say

American Fitness, Jan-Feb, 2005

Eating a couple apples a day may significantly lower one's chance of developing heart disease, reports a study of health benefits of fiber consumption.

In an evaluation of 10 studies measuring fiber in the diets of 91,058 men and 245,186 women over six to 10 years, nine out of 10 studies reported an inverse association between fiber consumption and risk of heart disease.

For every 10 grams of fiber consumed per day, the risk of developing heart disease decreased 14 percent, and the risk of dying from heart disease decreased 27 percent.

Fiber from fruits, such as apples, appeared to be slightly more protective than cereal fiber, lowering the risk of coronary disease death by 30 percent. Results were similar for men and women.

"The recommendations to consume an abundance of fiber-rich foods to prevent coronary heart disease are based on a wealth of consistent scientific evidence," state University of Minnesota School of Public Health's Dr. Mark Pereira and colleagues.

Researchers did not identify a specific protective mechanism, although the study noted fiber has been shown to reduce risk of heart disease in many ways, such as by improving blood-lipid profiles, lowering blood pressure and improving insulin sensitivity.

The study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.