When the World Health Organization (WHO) publishes a new health and diet study, the world listens. Its latest, published in The Lancet, highlights the link between fibre and heart health. The study looked at healthy people in 250 trials over 40 years and concluded that eating more wholegrains and fewer refined carbohydrates is key. Those people who ate the highest amount of fibre saw a 15–30% decrease in their chances of dying from heart disease. Not only that, but they also had a reduced incidence of coronary heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer.
Fibre, traditionally a marginal consideration compared with fat and salt consumption when it comes to heart health, is now confirmed as just as important. The study also highlights the shortcomings of low-carb and zero-carb diets as they lack important nutrients. ‘It’s a wake-up call,’ says nutrition editor Amanda Ursell. ‘In the UK, on average, adults are getting just 18g a day, when we should have 30g.’