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By Sade Oguntola
No matter the reason why it is been recommended, even if it is just to promote good health, new research suggests those who consume more foods that include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and beans, are more likely to ward off a whole bunch of diseases.
But this time, it’s not another study saying that adequate fibre intake may lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lower blood sugar. Researchers say taking a variety of insoluble fibres with appropriate quantities from different food sources lower risks of new-onset hypertension.
Recently, there has been growing interest in studies of nutrients and the risk of hypertension. Put simply, fibre found primarily in plant material in the diet refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested by your gut. It is classified as either soluble or insoluble, depending on whether it dissolves in water (soluble) or not (insoluble), however both contribute to digestive health in different ways.
Soluble fibre dissolves in water. When it comes in contact with liquid, it will thicken and swell up, thus helping to make you feel full. It also helps in slowing down the absorption of sugar into blood and may be beneficial for weight loss.
Examples of soluble fibre are pectin, inulin, alginates and raffinose, which can be found in oats, legumes, apples, bananas, oranges, carrots, potatoes, barley and beans.
Insoluble fibre doesn’t dissolve in water. Instead, this type of fibre absorbs water in the lower gut tract, making it more bulky. It helps to speed up the passage of waste through the colon, facilitating regular bowel movement. It can be found in whole grains, cereals, rolled oats, brown rice and most vegetables.
Researchers had examined the relationship between dietary fibre from different food sources with new-onset hypertension in 12,131 participants without hypertension at baseline from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), a national health and nutrition survey established in 1989. It has been followed up every two to two years with a sum of 10 rounds already completed.
The six major food sources in Chinese adults considered were whole and refined grains, vegetables, beans, tubers, and fruits.
The study was published online in the February edition of the BMC Medicine.
Dietary intake was measured by three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls combined with a household food inventory. The variety score of insoluble fibre sources was defined as the number of insoluble fibre sources consumed at the appropriate level, accounting for both types and quantities of insoluble fibs.
Demographic and lifestyle information was available through questionnaires, including age, sex, smoking status, occupations, education levels, and living regions.
The study outcome was new-onset hypertension, defined as blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg, or physician-diagnosed hypertension or receiving antihypertensive treatments during the follow-up.
Overall, there was an L-shaped relation of dietary total insoluble fibre with new-onset hypertension. The risk of new hypertension seemed to reach a plateau when the dietary total insoluble fibre intake was greater than 9.6 g/day.
A higher variety score of insoluble fibres was significantly associated with a lower risk of new-onset hypertension. Also, there was no obvious association between refined grain-derived insoluble fibre and hypertension.
Further adjustments for dietary intakes of vitamin A, vitamin B2, niacin, copper, and zinc; dietary intakes of refined and whole grains, vegetables, beans, tubers, and fruits; or BMI trajectory did not substantially change the results.
Accordingly, the appropriate levels (g/day) of specific sourced insoluble fibre associated with the lowest risk of new-onset hypertension were greater than 1.9 for vegetable-derived insoluble fibre, greater than 0.4 for bean-derived insoluble fibre, lesser than 1.7 for whole grain-derived insoluble fibr, more than zero for tuber-derived insoluble fibre and fruit-derived insoluble fibre.
Moreover, the researchers said that more studies are needed to confirm the findings and further examine the underlying mechanisms involved in the associations between the intake of different insoluble fibres and hypertension.
They declared “If our results are further confirmed, these findings support that the intake of an appropriate quantity of insoluble fibres from various food sources plays an important role in the primary prevention of hypertension.”
There is compelling evidence that a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and that restricts the amount of saturated and total fat lower blood pressure. The researchers found that people with high blood pressure who followed Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet reduced their systolic blood pressure by about 11 mm Hg and their diastolic blood pressure by almost 6 mm Hg—as much as medications can achieve.
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