Fiber: Not Just For Your Grandma...

healthlob.com

So what you do you think of when you hear "fiber"?  Prune juice?  Metamucil?  Something for you grandma, right?  Well, I'm here to tell you that fiber is NOT just for your those who are 60+, it's for people of all ages!

The average American consumes about 15g of fiber a day, which is about half the recommended amount for healthy adults (25-35g).  Fiber can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and it may also help with weight loss because it can keep you feeling full.  Instead of being digested in the stomach, it passes through to the colon, keeping your digestive system healthy!

Because of their disease-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidant content, people who consume high fiber diets have a lower risk of obesity and development of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and stroke.

There are two types of fiber:
Soluble fiber - found in oatmeal, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes and some fruits.  Soluble fibers attract water and become gel-like in the intestines, slowing down digestion, delaying emptying of the stomach and making you feel full.  These fibers have been shown to have a beneficial effect on insulin sensitivity in diabetics and can also help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by interfering with dietary cholesterol absorption.
Insoluble fiber - found in whole wheat, whole grains, brown rice, root vegetable skins, dark leafy vegetables, green beans, squash, tomatoes, nuts and seeds.  Insoluble fibers are considered the "gut-healthy" fiber because they help to prevent constipation.  They do not dissolve in water, keeping them whole as they pass through the intestines, speeding up digestion.

How to incorporate more fiber into your diet:
- Eat whole grain or whole wheat cereals, pasta, bread and brown rice
- Substitute white flour for wheat, oat, millet or buckwheat flour
- Add wild rice, barley or bulgur to stuffing and soup recipes, casseroles or stir-fries
- Try snacks like whole wheat crackers or popcorn

What to look for at the grocery store:
- Check the food label nutrition information!  Foods that are good sources of fiber have 10-19% of the daily value and excellent sources have more than 20%.
- Check the food label ingredient list!  Choose products that have a high fiber ingredient listed first, since ingredients are listed by weight in descending order.
- Don't let color or food labels fool you!  Brown colored products or those advertised as "Multigrain", "Seven-grain", "Wheat", "Made with Whole Grains", etc. are usually not 100% whole grain.  To be considered 100% whole grain, the item must contain the entire grain (endosperm, bran and germ).  Make sure the ingredient label says "100% whole grain" or "whole wheat", and avoid "enriched" or "unbleached" flour.