Natural Plaque Reduction Using Soluble Fibers

Fiber has the power to reduce LDL 20 mg or more. Many people say, “But I already eat
whole wheat bread and Fiber One cereal!” upon hearing this. However, wheat-fiber
based products like whole wheat bread and bran cereals have essentially no effect
whatsoever on cholesterol reduction—though they’re good for bowel health.
Soluble, or viscous, fibers, on the other hand, that become gel-like on contact with water
are natural cholesterol-reducing agents.

Beta-glucan is a soluble fiber that avidly absorbs water and transforms into a gooey gel.
This gel, as it traverses the twenty-some feet of intestine, is an efficient absorber of
cholesterol. Beta-glucan is responsible for the cholesterol-lowering properties of
oatmeal. You know what’s even better than oatmeal? Oat bran. You can buy oat bran in
bags and boxes in most grocery stores. Oat bran is also more versatile. You can use it
as a hot cereal microwaved in skim milk or soy milk (add raw sunflower or pumpkin
seeds, fresh berries, or sliced fruit), or you can add it to yogurt, fruit smoothies, or
protein drinks. One ounce of uncooked oat bran (1/4 cup) contains 4 grams of fiber, of
which 3 grams are soluble. Including ¼ cup of oat bran a day in your diet can powerfully
reduce cholesterol.

Flaxseed is another source of soluble fiber. When the seeds are ground, the fibers
become exposed and available. (Flaxseed also contains lignans, which are under
intensive investigatation for cancer-preventing properties.) Flaxseed is available both as
whole seeds and already-ground. Whole seeds need to be ground (e.g., in your coffeegrinder)
to release the fibers. Don’t confuse flaxseed oil with the seed itself. When the oil
is extracted from flaxseed to produce flaxseed oil, it can be a source of linolenic acid,
which in turn is converted by your body to a small quantity of omega-3 fatty acids (as in
fish). But the cholesterol-reducing benefit from flaxseed is found in the fiber content, and
the ground seeds are therefore required, not the oil. Use flaxseed just as you would oat
bran: mix with skim or soy milk, raw seeds, and berries to make a warm cereal; mix with
yogurt, fruit smoothies, protein drinks. Two tablespoons a day provides an extraordinary
17 grams of fiber, of which 6 grams are soluble.

Pectin is another soluble fiber found in apples and the rinds of citrus fruits, especially
grapefruit; it’s also available in capsule form. In citrus, the pectin is most concentrated in
the white rinds, not the pulp, so don’t do such a good job when you peel. The quantity of
pectin in a single piece of fruit is relatively modest (around 1.5 grams), but when
reaching for a piece of fruit, an apple or citrus fruit can be one way to add modestly to
your net daily soluble fiber intake (Jensen CD et al 1997; Sheehan JP et al 1997;
Kerckhoffs DA et al 2003). If you choose to take a pectin supplement, the dose that
yields significant LDL-reducing effect is around 3000 mg twice per day.

Beans are an excellent source of soluble fibers and an easy addition to most dinner
menus. A ½ cup serving of starchy beans—pinto, Spanish, black, red, white—provides
around 2 grams of soluble fiber and 4 grams total fiber. (Green beans are great for many
reasons but are not a significant source of soluble fiber.) Vegetarian chilis and bean
soups are among the many ways you can use these tremendous sources of fiber.
Although beans are a carbohydrate source, the glycemic index (sugar-raising effect) is
relatively low.

Psyllium seed is the main ingredient in the familiar stool bulk-forming product,
Metamuci®, as this seed has the capacity to absorb many times its weight in water,
making intestinal contents bulkier and softer. But it also reduces cholesterol 7–10%, just
like oat bran and flaxseed. Psyllium is useful for its convenience: dissolve a teaspoon in
8–12 oz of water and drink. However, it is much less versatile than oat bran and flaxseed
in that you really can’t conceal it in yogurt or fruit smoothies or protein drinks. A
teaspoon of psyllium (containing 2.4 grams of soluble fiber, 3 grams total fiber) is most
useful when you are unable for one reason or another to use another soluble fiber
source (e.g., when you’re traveling). Taken 30 minutes prior to meals, you can also use
it to produce satiety, or the feeling of fullness that discourages you from overeating.
Many people use this as a helpful weight-loss strategy.

But beware. . .

Start with too much fiber all at once and you may—paradoxically—end up with
constipation. The safest way to proceed if you begin with an average low-fiber American
diet is to add one or two fiber sources at a time, and add another form only after two
weeks. This permits your intestines to accommodate to the increased bulk. Also be sure
to take in plenty of water, as these fibers will draw water into the intestine and can
actually cause you to be dehydrated if you fail to drink enough. If the fiber cannot draw
enough water into the intestine, you can end up with a very nasty case of constipation.
Not pretty! (Consult your doctor if you have a history of congestive heart failure, kidney
or liver disease, edema, or have been advised to follow a fluid restriction before you
embark on a program that requires greater fluid intake.)