Study: Eating More Fiber Daily Moderately Lowers Stroke Risk

Adding more fiber to your diet may lower the risk of stroke, a new study showed on Thursday, although the effect is moderate.

For every additional 7 grams of daily dietary fiber intake was associated with a significant 7 percent lower risk of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke combined, Diane Threapleton, MSc, of the University of Leeds, England, and colleagues reported online in Stroke. One serving of whole wheat pasta plus two servings of fruits or vegetables provides about seven grams of fiber, the researchers said.

Previous research has shown that consumption of plant-based dietary fiber -- including fruits, nuts, vegetables and whole grains -- may help reduce risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure and elevated levels of so-called "bad" (LDL) cholesterol.

"Greater intake of fiber-rich foods - such as whole-grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts - are important for everyone, and especially for those with stroke risk factors like being overweight, smoking and having high blood pressure," Diane Threapleton, MSc, PhD, a study author from the University of Leeds' School of Food Science & Nutrition in the United Kingdom, said in a statement.

"This is important because most people in the U.S. do not eat enough fiber-rich foods," said study co-author Victoria Burley, from the Center for Epidemiology & Biostatistics at the University of Leeds in England.

"Total dietary fiber intake should be 25 to 30 grams a day from food, but on average people in the U.S. are getting only half this amount," Burley said.

Researchers were not able to zone in on which fiber rich foods are best for stroke-prevention due to a lack of food-specific data in the studies reviewed.

In the United States, stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death, killing more than 137,000 people annually. Among survivors, the disease is a leading cause of disability.