Friday April 18, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Dietary fiber is linked to lower risk of coronary heart disease in healthy men and women.  A new study suggests that high intake of dietary fiber can also reduce risk of death from all causes in people who have suffered a stroke or myocardial infarction.

The study released in Circulation shows that higher post-myocardial-infarction intake of dietary fiber was found associated with 25% lower all-cause death risk.

The study based on data from The Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) also shows that higher intake of cereal fiber was linked to 27% reduced risk of death in those who had suffered myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction survivors who increased intake of dietary fiber post myocardial infarction were 31% less likely to die from any cause, compared with those who did not increase the intake.

The study concluded "In this prospective study of MI (myocardial infarction) survivors, greater post-MI (myocardial infarction) intake of dietary fiber, especially cereal fiber, was inversely associated with all-cause mortality." and "increasing consumption of fiber from pre- to post-MI periods was significantly associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality."

Dietary fiber can be purchased as a dietary supplement on the internet.  (David Liu)