When it comes to fiber, think outside of the bread box. As good as whole-grain breads are, the more fiber you get from other sources -- cereals, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds -- the more benefits you get for your heart. And the rest of your body, too.

• Eat fruit and you’ll shrink your waist. Overall, fruit lovers enjoy a smaller waist and waist-to-hip ratio, as well as lower blood pressure.
• Eat high-fiber cereals and you’ll weigh less. They’re linked with less belly fat, smaller waists, healthier blood pressure, and better homocysteine levels (it’s an unwanted compound that causes nicks and inflammation in your arteries, which gets the heart-disease ball rolling)
• Eat vegetables and you’ll lower your blood pressure. People who get their fiber mostly from veggies also reap blood pressure rewards.
• Eat nuts, seeds, and dried fruits and you’ll get most of the above, and more. These foods help reduce your waist, your waist-to-hip ratio, your blood sugar readings, and your apo B levels (it’s an important blood-fat marker).

The heart-protective benefits kick in at 25 grams of fiber a day. To get there from any one group would be more monotonous than watching a televised embroidery convention. But eat from all groups, and you have a delicious day ahead of you. Tempting ways to make the fiber add up:

• Raspberries: 8 grams per cup
• Raisin bran: 6 grams per serving
• Peaches: 3 grams each
• Broccoli: 3 grams per 1/2 cup
• Sugar snap peas: 3 grams per cup
• Walnuts: 2 grams per ounce (about 12 whole nuts)
• Sunflower seeds: 2 grams per ounce (a small handful)

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