FOOD – Fiber – Start Roughing It

Aside from not smoking, the most important determinants of good health are what we eat and how active we are. Fiber is one of those nutrients that many of us know is important but that remains a bit of a mystery.

Basically, the term fiber refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested. Fiber is present in all plants that are eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. However, not all fiber is the same, and there are a number of ways to categorize it. One is by its source or origin. For example, fiber from grains is referred to as cereal fiber. Another way of categorizing fiber is by how easily it dissolves in water. Soluble fiber partially dissolves in water. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. These differences are important when it comes to fiber’s effect on your risk of developing certain diseases. Soluble fiber includes oatmeal, oat bran, nuts and seeds, apples, pears, strawberries, and blueberries. Foods such as whole grains―whole wheat breads, barley, couscous, brown rice, and bulgur―carrots, celery, zucchini, cucumbers, and tomatoes are considered to be insoluble fiber sources.

Long heralded as part of a healthy diet, fiber appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, and constipation. Despite what many people may think, however, fiber probably has little, if any effect on colon cancer risk. But just because fiber plays little role in preventing colon cancer does not mean you should abandon a high-fiber diet.

High intake of dietary fiber has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease in a number of large studies that followed people for many years. Fiber intake has also been linked with the metabolic syndrome, a constellation of factors that increases the chances of developing heart disease and diabetes. These factors include high blood pressure, high insulin levels, excess weight (especially around the abdomen), high levels of triglycerides, the body’s main fat-carrying particle, and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Several studies suggest that higher intake of fiber may somehow ward off this increasingly common syndrome.

Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet, and you should get a least the minimum recommended amount of 21-38 grams of dietary fiber per day for adults, depending on gender and age. For children over age one, the recommended intake is at least 19 grams per day.

Some tips for increasing fiber intake:

  • Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices.
  • Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole-grain products.
  • Choose whole-grain cereals for breakfast.
  • Eat raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars.
  • Eat legumes two to three times per week in chili and soups.
  • Experiment with international dishes (such as Indian or Middle Eastern) that use whole grains and legumes as part of the main meal (as in Indian dals) or in salads (for example, tabbouleh).