Fiber for Heart Health
by Gregory J. Stephens, R.D.
Report Recommends Increased Fiber Consumption for Heart Health—
Convenience of
concentrated
oat bran helps
consumers get
the fiber
they need.
A new report on
recommendations for
healthy eating from the
National Academy of
Science’s Institute of
Medicine (IOM)
recommends 38 grams
of fiber intake daily
for men under 50 years
of age and 25 grams
daily for women. While
many foods are high in
dietary fiber, most
consumers will find it
difficult to get the
required fiber from
their diets. Concentrated
supplements can play
a key role in filling the
dietary fiber gap. |
Why Heart Health is Critical
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading
cause of death in the United States,
accounting for more than 500,000 deaths
annually, or one of every five deaths, according
to the American Heart Association. Heart disease
is caused by atherosclerosis, which is the
narrowing of the coronary arteries due to the
accumulation of plaque, a thick deposit that
can clog the arteries. It often leads to angina
pectoris (chest pain), heart attack or both.
The level of cholesterol in the blood plays a
major role in a person’s heart health. Most
Americans today are aware that high cholesterol
is a primary risk factor for heart disease.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the major
cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much
LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can
slowly build up in the walls of the arteries
feeding the heart and brain and leading to
heart attack or stroke.
Lowering cholesterol levels can reduce the
risk of developing heart disease. The National
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a
part of the National Institutes of Health, indicates
that total blood cholesterol levels of less
than 200 mg/dL are desirable and place a
person at lower risk for heart disease. The
NHLBI reports heart disease is uncommon at
total cholesterol levels below 150 mg/dL.
Research published in the American Heart
Association journal, Circulation, has shown
that for every 10 percentage points cholesterol
was reduced, the risk of death from heart disease
dropped by 15 percent.
 Nutrition for Heart Health
More consumers are thinking about and
choosing nutrition and related lifestyle modifications
to control their cholesterol and
improve heart health. According to a recent
survey conducted by the Natural Marketing
Institute, more than 60 percent of consumers
say they are most likely to use foods to prevent
high cholesterol and heart disease and more
than 43 percent say they would use supplements
to prevent these conditions.
The survey also found that 54 percent of
adult consumers associate the benefits of oats
with heart health, far more than any other
product. Oats are a natural, whole-grain food
that can help lower cholesterol levels and
promote heart health. Beta glucan is a type of soluble fiber found in oats that has been linked
with the reduction of total serum and LDL
cholesterol.
FDA Approves Heart Health Claim for Oats
The cholesterol lowering effects of oats were
recognized by the FDA in 1997 after an extensive
review of nearly 40 clinical trials. This first
food-specific health claim states: “Soluble
fiber from foods such as oat bran, rolled oats or
oatmeal and whole oat flour, as part of a diet
low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may
reduce the risk of heart disease.”
A summary of several major human clinical studies and reviews concluded:
- Subjects consuming at least 3 grams/day of oat beta glucan achieved the benefits of significantly lowering their serum cholesterol.
- The reduction of total serum cholesterol ranged from five percent to 19 percent. These results are clinically important because the FDA and American Heart Association have equated a one percent reduction in total cholesterol to a two percent reduction in the risk of CHD.
- LDL (bad cholesterol) levels indicated a reduction ranging from nine percent to 23 percent.
- Studies showed that subjects experienced modest weight loss and lower glucose and insulin levels.
Oat beta glucan is a natural option for consumers
since it is a soluble fiber with no
known side effects, unlike many chemically
derived and/or processed ingredients and
pharmaceuticals on the market. Consumption
of oat beta glucan has been shown, in a
number of observational and human clinical
studies, to have a positive impact on high
blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, three
other key risk factors for heart disease.
Health Agencies Recommend More Fiber Consumption
Cholesterol guidelines published by the
National Institutes of Health in May of 2001
encourage the use of certain foods that are rich
in soluble fiber to help lower cholesterol.
Clinical studies have demonstrated that consumption
of at least 3 grams of oat beta glucan
daily will achieve cholesterol lowering benefits.
This is the equivalent of approximately 84
grams of oatmeal or 90 grams of oat cereal per
day, consumed either in a single serving or
multiple smaller servings.
The Institute of Medicine report defines
“total fiber” as the combination of “dietary”
and “functional” fiber. It describes dietary
fiber as the “edible, nondigestible component
of carbohydrates and lignin naturally found in
plant food. Some foods with dietary fiber
include cereal bran, flaked corn cereal, sweet
potatoes, legumes and onions.”
Functional fibers were referred to as “those
fiber sources that are shown to have similar
health benefits as dietary fiber but are isolated or
extracted from natural sources or are synthetic.”
An example of functional fiber would be a
highly concentrated oat bran, such as
OatVantage™, recently introduced by
Nurture, Inc. The IOM report went on to say
that “a definition of functional fiber aims to
exclude fiber-like products, whether extracted
or synthesized, that cannot be shown to have
proven health benefits.”
The IOM guidelines on fiber intake increase
the daily requirement significantly. In addition
to the 38 grams daily for men under 50 years of
age and 25 grams daily for women, the guidelines
recommend 30 grams daily for men over
50 and 21 grams daily for women. With these
new guidelines, the challenge to the consumer
is “how can you get enough fiber in your diet?”
One of the solutions, in addition to consuming
a high-fiber diet, is to take a dietary
supplement rich in soluble fiber.
 OatVantage
OatVantage is a new oat bran concentrate
developed through a joint venture between
Nurture, Inc. and a major cereal company.
Because it is highly concentrated, OatVantage
can deliver approximately nine times more oat
beta glucan than regular oat bran. It is a convenient
way for busy consumers to get the
cholesterol lowering benefits of oats without
having to prepare and eat large amounts of oat
bran foods.
OatVantage contains 50 percent beta
glucan by weight, the highest level of concentrated
oat beta glucan available. This means
just 1.5 grams of OatVantage delivers 750 mg
of beta glucan. The use of 1.5 grams of
OatVantage may qualify a nutritional supplement
or functional food to use the FDA heart
health claim.
Derived from non-GMO oats grown in North America, OatVantage is manufactured using a proprietary process. It is available in a variety of formulations, including capsules, tablets, opaque liquids and semi-solid foods.
For more information, visit www.nurtureinc.com or call 1-888-395-3300.
Gregory J. Stephens, R.D., is vice president for sales and marketing, Nurture, Inc.
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