Want to eat nutritious foods and reduce your risk for chronic disease at the same time? Try adding fiber-rich foods to your daily diet.
“Americans often fall short of meeting the 20 to 35 grams of fiber recommended by experts,” said Jenna Anding of the Texas Cooperative Extension’s Foods and Nutrition Unit. “This is a concern because of the numerous health benefits associated with consuming a healthy diet that is rich in fiber.”
“Most of us think of fiber as a single compound that is found in plants, but that is not exactly correct,” noted Anding. “In fact, the term fiber refers to a group of plant compounds, each with different functions and benefits. They are often categorized as either soluble or insoluble.”
Soluble fibers form a gel when mixed with a liquid. When included as part of a healthful diet, soluble fibers can help lower blood cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of developing heart disease. Consuming adequate amounts of soluble fibers may also help reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Food sources of soluble fibers include dried beans and peas, oats, nuts and many fruits and vegetables, including apples, pears and strawberries.
The other class of dietary fibers is known as insoluble fiber. Often called “roughage,” this class of fiber helps give bulk to a person’s stool, making it easier for the body to get rid of waste. Food sources of these fibers include whole-grain breakfast cereals, carrots, tomatoes and the skins of fruits and root vegetables.
Consuming adequate amounts of dietary fiber has benefits other than a reduced risk of chronic disease. For example, foods that are rich in fiber help you feel full longer, which can be beneficial if you are watching your weight and trying to reduce food intake.
Also, dietary fiber, particularly insoluble forms, helps to soften and add bulk to waste in the intestine. This makes stools softer and easier to eliminate, thus helping to prevent constipation as well as the discomfort that goes with it.
Most Americans will likely benefit from increasing their intakes of dietary fiber, especially if fiber-rich foods are added in place of foods that are high in saturated fat or refined carbohydrates. To add more bulk to your diet, Anding offers the following tips:
All fibers, soluble and insoluble, are healthful so don’t worry about keeping track of how much of each type you consume. The key is to eat a variety of fiber-containing foods. In addition, when increasing fiber intake, be sure to do it slowly. Otherwise, cautions Anding, you might experience unpleasant side effects, like bloating and excess gas.
Anding also recommends that individuals who increase their fiber intake also increase their consumption of water and other fluids to avoid constipation. Individuals who are older or who have had surgery on their stomachs, intestines, colons or rectums should check with their doctors before adding more fiber to their diets.
Is there such a thing as too much fiber? According to Anding, yes. Consuming more than 50 grams of fiber a day may reduce the amount of vitamins and minerals the body absorbs. For children, too much fiber in their diets may cause them to become full too fast, reducing their intake of other nutritious foods. To estimate the number of grams of fiber a child should consume each day, take the age of the child and add the number five.
This information is provided as a service by the Texas Cooperative Extension. If you have questions or would like more information, talk to your physician or registered dietician.
H.E.A.D.s Up is a monthly column that features articles on a wide array of Health, Exercise And Diet issues. Information for these articles is provided by health and wellness professionals from throughout the A&M System. If you have questions or story ideas for this column, email Ruth McMullan.