It is a well-known fact that fiber helps with cholesterol and blood pressure, but recent studies show that fiber also helps reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease, according to WebMD.

“Studies have shown that foods that have a lot of fiber are clearly associated with lower risk of heart disease,” Alice Lichtenstein, DSc, American Heart Association spokeswoman said.

Dietary fiber comes from vegetables, plants and grains. They are foods that the body cannot digest fully. This prevents the intake of less healthy foods, because the body becomes fuller faster.

Foods high in fiber help lower bad cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels with those who have diabetes, blood pressure, the risk for of heart disease, and the risk of diabetes. In addition, if more people ate foods with high fiber then obesity rates would most likely decrease, according to WebMD.

Edgar R. Miller III, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine and epidemiology in the department of medicine at Johns Hopkins University, said people should have foods high in fiber as a substitute for protein. He advises having oatmeal for breakfast instead of a plate of bacon.

WebMD states that fiber also helps with weight loss by making a person fuller longer than other foods do. They also stated that healthy weight is crucial in keeping a healthy heart.

However, Lichtenstein advises people to eat a lot of fiber combined with other healthy foods.

“We try to get people to think about improving their diet as a whole instead of zeroing in on a couple of specific components of foods,” Lichtenstein said. “That can lead them in the wrong direction.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, men from age 50 to younger should have 38 grams of fiber and women should have 25 grams.