Tanya Zuckerbrot Nutrition Reports: Eat More Fiber, Live Longer

NEW YORK, June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- People who consume a fiber rich diet live longer, according to a recent study – the first ever to link longevity and dietary fiber consumption.

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) examined dietary fiber intake in relation to total mortality and death from specific causes and found that those with the highest fiber intake, specifically fiber from whole grains, had a significantly lower risk of death from any cause for both men and women.  

The massive 10-year government study of roughly 388,000 people, published Tuesday (June 14, 2011) in the Archives of Internal Medicine, "makes the strongest case yet for eating a fiber-rich diet," said Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, author of the bestselling weight loss book, The F-Factor Diet (Putnam, 2006). She sees fiber as paramount for any patient, whether they have heart disease, diabetes or need to lose weight.  

"For over 15 years I have studied fiber's effects on cholesterol and serum glucose levels," Zuckerbrot said. "I recommend my patients eat on average 40g of fiber daily, and I consistently see cholesterol and sugar levels drop approximately 10 percent after 3 months and 20 percent after 6 months, without medication," she said. "And all my patients lose weight without hunger."

Previous studies have found that high-fiber diets can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, breast cancer and colon cancer, but this latest NIH research is the first to show that eating fiber can actually help people live longer.

The American Dietetic Association recommends women consume 25-35g and men eat 38g per day. Unfortunately, most Americans are not meeting their fiber needs; the average American consumes only 9-11g each day.

"This research launches fiber as the next big health trend - and it signals the end of low-carb," said Zuckerbrot. "Dietary fiber is only found in carbohydrates, and while not all carbs contain fiber those that do are enormously important for good health. People need to eat them," she said.

"Fiber has received a makeover. It's not your grandma's fiber—prunes and Metamucil," said Zuckerbrot. "In truth fiber-rich foods are delicious and abundant - found in everything from raspberries, to bread, to even chocolate," she said.

About Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD

Tanya Zuckerbrot is a Manhattan-based registered dietitian who specializes in high-fiber nutrition. Tanya authored the bestselling weight loss book The F-Factor Diet (Putnam, 2006) and she is the first registered dietitian with a national line of F-Factor high-fiber foods.

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SOURCE Tanya Zuckerbrot Nutrition, LLC