Several prospective studies and epidemiological support also has a protective effect of fiber cereals against coronary disease. In early March, on the occasion of the 47th annual conference on epidemiology and prevention of cardiovascular disease by the American Heart Association, researchers from Harvard University presented the results of an analysis on consumption of breakfast cereals complete the 10,469 doctors in the Physicians Health Study famous. Verdict: a bowl per day would fall by nearly 27% the risk of heart attack! The underlying mechanisms are very varied. But the major effect is related to the cholesterol-lowering fiber cereal, specifically LDL cholesterol. According to the authors of this study, half of cereal contributions should be covered by whole grains and several experts argue for a minimal consumption of about 3 servings per day. However, a more modest consumption seems already give excellent results on the health of blood vessels. In the study doctors, 2 to 6 servings per week reduced the risk of heart attack by 22% and 1 serving weekly, already nearly 14%.

Another way is more general, which appears to be bearing fruit: the combination of foods known for their virtues anticholesterol regime or portfolio. In 2006 already, the team of David Jenkins in Toronto, Canada revealed that a combination of soy protein in almonds, margarine enriched with plant sterols, oats and rye, for 1 year, allows to lower cholesterol levels by 20%, a result similar to the first generations of statins. These results are reinforced by a new study by researchers at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands. Conducted in cross-over against placebo on 40 individuals moderately hyperlipémique, she said that the association of a daily muesli rich in beta-glucans oats with 1.5 grams of plant stanols decrease LDL-cholesterol by almost 10%. For the authors of the study, however, it is a half-victory, because if stanols have an additional effect to the beta-glucans, it is limited because of the viscosity of enriched muesli in the intestine . Proof ad absurdum of the value of having a balanced diet rather than focusing on one or the other food protector (citrus fruits would also be another track to follow, especially their flavonones), but also interactions between foods.

Despite recent controversy about the real extent (lower previously announced) of its effect on cholesterol, soy remains an interesting food for ensuring control on a daily basis. Its action is linked to both proteins of the seed and its unique content isoflavones. With a flat, it is dependent on the industrial processing or use cooking. Indeed, agronomists Scandinavian and Dutch state, randomized clinical trial in a double blind support that the heat treatment at ultrahaute temperature (UHT) milk "of soybeans have unintended adverse consequences on the rate of bad LDL cholesterol. In their experiment on 80 subjects strongly hypercholestéromiques, the use of a "milk" UHT soy has been accompanied by an increase of nearly 20% of LDL compared with the placebo. According to researchers, this side effect could come from the deterioration in the warmth of soy isoflavones. Casualties, which they felt would not be offset by pasteurization, which relaunched the debate not only food soybeans and, possibly, new techniques of sterilization technologies as high-pressure, increasingly discussed in some sectors of the food industry.