Fabulous Fiber

Fiber. It’s one of those nutrients we often hear about, but did you know that most Americans are deficient in it? Public health guidelines from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advise Americans to eat between 20 and 38 grams of fiber a day, but most adults don’t even eat half that much. This post will describe what fiber is, its fabulous health benefits and how we can ramp up our intake. (And I promise you won't grow a sunflower out of your bum!)

Dietary fiber is basically the parts of plant foods that our bodies can't digest or absorb. It passes relatively intact through our stomach, small intestine, colon and out of our body. Fiber is present in all plants that are eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, lentils and peas.  Though there are many types of fiber, they are generally categorized as either “soluble” or "insoluble”.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like texture, helping to slow down your digestion and make you feel full. These fibers help lower cholesterol and help regulate blood sugar levels. Soluble fiber is found in oats, lentils, apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, nuts, flaxseeds, beans, dried peas, blueberries, psyllium, cucumbers, celery, and carrots.

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and adds bulk to your stool and speeds up the passage of food and waste through your gut, helping prevent constipation. It also helps regulate your intestine’s pH. It is found in whole grains such as whole wheat, barley, brown rice and bulgar, nuts and seeds, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes, and root vegetable skins.

Most plant-based foods, such as oatmeal and beans, contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. However, the amount of each type varies in different plant foods. Eating a wide variety of fibers is the ideal solution to gaining all the health benefits.

Benefits of a high-fiber diet:

• Normalizes bowel movements.
• Lowers cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found can help lower low-density lipoprotein, LDL or "lousy", cholesterol levels and have other heart-health benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
• Helps control blood sugar levels. Fiber — particularly soluble fiber — can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood sugar levels, reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and helping those with the disease to better manage it. As I explained in my last post, fiber is a sugar blocker!
  
• Aids in achieving healthy weight. High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you're no longer hungry so you're less likely to overeat (did you know it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you’re full?). High-fiber foods are also more filling and help us stay full for a greater amount of time. According to The Volumetrics Eating Plan (I highly recommend this book), if you choose high-fiber, water-rich foods -- such as broth-based vegetable soups, salads, fruits, and vegetables -- instead of foods without fiber and water, you can eat the same weight of food but feel full on fewer calories.
• There is also research attributing fiber intake to reduced risk for colorectal cancer.

Ways to boost your intake:
We should get at least 20 grams of fiber a day, but more is better. Slowly adding more fiber to your diet can avoid bloating and gas by giving your body time to adapt. It is also important to drink plenty of liquids while increasing fiber.

• Eat whole fruits instead of fruit juice. Whole fruit can have as much as twice the amount of fiber as a glass of juice.
• Eat more beans! Toss them into your soups, stews, egg dishes, salads, chili, and Mexican dishes. Participate in Meatless Mondays and substitute beans for meat once a week.
• Make snacks count! Snack on raw vegetables with bean dip or hummus and popcorn.
• Mirror the Healthy Eating Plate by filling ½ your plate with fruits and vegetables at lunch and dinner.
• Enjoy high-fiber cereals topped with fruit for breakfast and snacks.
• Make all your grains whole. Make sure to read your nutrition labels!
• Incorporate nuts and seeds into your snacks, on top of yogurt and salads.
• Read labels and choose foods with at least a few grams of fiber per serving. A good source of fiber contains 2.5-4.9 grams of fiber per serving. An excellent source has 5 grams or more per serving. Don't worry to much about the numbers though. Focus on eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds and without a doubt you'll be receiving all of the benefits fiber has to offer.
  

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