What is Fiber?
Fiber is a substance that's found only in plants; it's also called "roughage". It's not digested by the body, and it has no calories.
Fiber is important for good health because it keeps the body running smoothly by helping food pass through the digestive system. It may also reduce your risk for heart disease and certain types of cancer.
There are two types of dietary fiber; soluble fiber (soft) and insoluble fiber (woody). Soluble fiber is found in most fruits, vegetables, oats, beans, and in psyllium. Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains (wheat, corn, rice, and oats), beans, and the outer skins of fruits and vegetables.
How Much Fiber Should You Eat?
The recommended fiber intake for adults in 20-35 grams per day. For children, a simple rule of thumb is the child's age plus 5, equals the number of grams of fiber the child needs daily.
How Can I Get Fiber in My Diet?
This can be accomplished by eating at least five servings of fruit and vegetables daily and six servings of whole grain breads or cereals daily.
Read product labels.
Look for whole grains listed in the product ingredients and check out the fiber content on the Nutrition facts label. Foods that are considered a "good source" of fiber contain 2-3 grams of fiber per serving. Foods that are "high in fiber" contain 5 grams of fiber or more per serving.
A Word of Caution:
It's important to increase your fiber intake gradually so as to avoid unpleasant side effects such as cramping, indigestion, and excess gas. Be sure to drink plenty of water and fluids daily to keep you body hydrated and all the fiber moving through the body smoothly.
Tips for Adding Fiber to Your Diet:
Start your day with a bowl of whole grain or bran cereal topped with sliced fruit.
Sneak fiber into a sandwich with shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, and sprouts in between two slices of whole wheat bread.
Make a crunchy crouton and vegetable salad with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, cucumbers, whole wheat croutons, and a light salad dressing
Add barley, beans, lentils, or split peas to soup and stews.
Make a banana split with a scoop of frozen yogurt, a sliced banana, strawberries, and a sprinkle of grapenuts.
Have pasta primavera for dinner. Simply toss together cooked pasta with steam vegetables and top with parmesan cheese.
Grab a piece of fresh fruit or whole grain crackers for a snack.
Use the following list to shop for high-fiber foods:
Wheat or bran cereal
Oatmeal or oat bran cereal
Whole wheat bread
Whole wheat pasta
Long grain rice
Popcorn
whole wheat crackers
Beans (pinto, navy, kidney)
Split peas
Lentils
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
Apples, bananas, peaches, pears, prunes
Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower
Potatoes (with skin)ALWAYS READ THE NUTRITION FACTS ON EACH PRODUCT LABEL
