For many of us, when we think of healthy eating, we consider vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients in our food, including protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Recently, more attention has been paid to antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, and for good reason.

However, one topic that is not always at the forefront of dietary concerns is fiber — which is unfortunate, because as anyone who eats a lot of protein dense foods (i.e., meat) can attest to, fiber is a beautiful thing. Fiber is the component of foods, mainly fruits, vegetables and grains, that cannot be digested by our bodies and therefore helps move food and waste through out digestive tract.

Because fiber helps with bowel movements, it is believed to lower a person's risk for colon cancer. It turns out that dietary fiber may in fact do a lot more. A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has found that regular intake of fiber is associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and for that matter, any cause over a nine-year period.

Dietary fiber is known to help lower a person's cholesterol while stabilizing blood glucose levels and lowering blood pressure. Fiber is believed to help maintain a healthy weight while also reducing inflammation. Consequently, fiber may have a protective effect against diabetes and obesity. Fiber is also believed to bind to cancer causing agents and potentially help us to clear them from our bodies.

To arrive at their findings, researchers at the National Cancer Institute analyzed data from a large study that looked at diet and health. Involved in the study were over 219,000 men and nearly 169,000 women who took part in a food frequency survey at the beginning of the study. By the study's end, causes of death were recorded from national registries over the course of nine years.

According to the data, fiber consumption ranged from 13 to 29 grams per day for men and 11 to 26 grams per day for women. After an average of nine years, higher fiber consumption was associated with a significantly decreased risk of death in both men and women. In fact, men and women who had the highest daily consumption of fiber (29.4 grams and 25.8 grams, respectively) were 22% less likely to die than those people who consumed the least fiber (12.6 grams for men and 10.8 grams for women).

Dietary fiber obtained from grains, as opposed to fruits and vegetables, was associated with a lower overall risk of death as well as death from specific causes, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory illness. The connection remained strong even after correcting for measurement errors.

The findings support the benefits of getting enough fiber in your diet. Currently, nutrition experts recommends that adults consume 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories. If you have questions or concerns, speak with your doctor or dietary expert.

For more information about dietary guidelines and fiber, visit the website for My Pyramid.