Researchers have known for a very long time that increased intake of fiber reduces fat. So much so, that physicians that routinely tell thier patients to eat more fruits and vegetables and patients who do, see a drop in their cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Researchers think that this may be because of a “reduced transition time” of food through the gut. In simple tems, the less the food (and fat) stays in the gut, the less time it has to be absorbed by the body.

In addition to losing fat, there are other benefits to eating lots of fruit and fiber. It keeps you away from developing diabetes, colon cancer and pancreatitis. So, eat those veggies!

References

• Effects of soluble dietary fiber on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and coronary heart disease risk.
• Dietary Factors Reduce Risk of Acute Pancreatitis in a Large Multiethnic Cohort.
• The health benefits of dietary fiber: beyond the usual suspects of type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and colon cancer.