Cut Me In Half

Fiber: How Much Is Enough?
by Cheryl Koch, R.D.

Are you getting enough fiber in your diet? Unless you’re eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables and plenty of whole grains in your diet, you may be slipping behind. Experts recommend that healthy adults eat 20-35 grams of fiber each day. It’s estimated that most Americans are getting only halfway to this goal.

It’s important to understand the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber. Most foods contain both types of fiber. Soluble fiber is most often found in oats, beans, peas, rice bran, apple pulp, citrus fruits, and strawberries, and has been linked to reduced blood cholesterol. Good sources of insoluble fiber are whole-wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, cabbage, beets, carrots, Brussels sprouts, turnips and cauliflower. Insoluble fiber helps to reduce the risk of some cancers by moving food through the gastrointestinal tract.

Eating enough fiber also has other benefits: it helps with regular bowel movements; reduces the risk of colon cancer; lowers blood cholesterol; and helps with weight loss by creating a feeling of fullness more quickly.

Achieving your daily fiber goal isn’t always easy, so try these tips to make sure you are getting enough:

* Make half of all your grains whole grains like brown rice, bulgur, and oatmeal.

* Munch on high-fiber snacks like celery and carrots, apples, light popcorn, whole- grain cereals, or low-fat granola bars.

* Aim for 5-9 fruits and vegetable servings a day.

* Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to help avoid constipation. Water is better than caffeinated drinks, which cause you to lose fluids from the body.

* Read labels. Many commercial oat bran and wheat bran products (muffins, chips, waffles) actually contain very little bran, so read the nutrition label on all packaged foods to determine their fiber content.

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