Food and Nutrition Q&A:

by Chelsy Leslie, from the March 2003 newsletter

We're probably all familiar with the fact that fiber can help keep you "regular." But fiber's role goes far beyond maintaining normal bowel health. Although fiber is not digested or absorbed into the bloodstream, it has an important job to play in keeping us healthy and preventing disease.

There are two types of fiber: insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber (AKA 'roughage'), found in wheat bran, vegetables and whole grains, helps move waste through the intestinal tract. This can help prevent constipation, diverticulosis, and hemorrhoids. It may also protect against colon and rectal cancers.

Soluble fiber can be found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables. It can lower cholesterol levels which, in turn, may reduce your risk of heart disease. Soluble fiber is also important for people with diabetes - it slows the absorption of carbohydrates and therefore helps to maintain steady blood sugar levels.

In addition, foods high in fiber are generally low in fat and sugar, and high in vitamins and minerals. High-fiber foods can also keep you feeling fuller for longer, which may be useful for people trying to maintain or lose weight.

Unfortunately, Americans' diets are very low in fiber. We often choose a lot of refined grains, convenience foods, and very few fruits and vegetables. The current recommendations for fiber are 38 grams per day for men under 50 years of age, and 25 grams for women under 50. Due to reduced food intake, older men should consume 30 grams of fiber and women should consume 21 grams per day. Sadly, most Americans have only 10-15 grams per day! As a nation with high rates of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer, we cannot afford to continue choosing diets low in fiber.

Are you eating enough fiber? Pay attention to food labels to assess your fiber intake. Fiber is listed with the nutrition facts information under "Total Carbohydrates." If a food has 3 grams of fiber per serving, it is considered a good source of fiber. If it has 5 grams of fiber per serving, it is a great source. The next time you are at the Co-op, spend some time searching for high fiber foods. Generally, the more processed the food is, the less fiber it has. For instance, an apple with peel has about 3 grams of fiber compared with no fiber in apple juice.

A few words of advice… If you are planning on increasing dietary fiber, add it gradually over a period of a few weeks to avoid abdominal discomfort. This allows the intestinal bacteria to adjust to the change. Also, drink plenty of water. This helps fiber move through the digestive system.

Here are a few fiber-boosting tips:

1. Breakfast is a great time for fiber. Choose a cereal that has at least 5 grams per serving, and add a piece of fruit.
2. Add beans to your salad or have a cup of chili for lunch. Each 1/2-cup of beans contains 3-4 grams fiber.
3. Choose whole wheat bread, which has 2-3 grams of fiber per slice. Be sure the first ingredient listed is whole wheat flour (brown bread is not necessarily whole wheat).
4. When you have a baked potato, eat the skin too. There is about 3 grams of fiber in just the potato skin.
5. Munch on berries, apples, pears, and oranges. If you eat two servings of these a day, you'll add 7-8 grams of fiber.

Have a food or nutrition question?

Chelsy Leslie, RD is a registered dietitian interested in public health and disease prevention.

Copyright: Copyright on articles, recipes and images are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective contributors, except were otherwise noted.

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