Fill up on Fiber
Alvena Baxter, Special to The Gazette
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Alvena
Baxter
Occupation:
14 years as food and nutrition teacher at Emporia High School.
My personal favorite way to get fiber in my diet:
I eat fresh fruits and vegetables and I love whole grain breads and pasta.
This is the second in a five-part series by Alvena Baxter who will look at five basic nutritional problems in Americans’ diets including lack of calcium, lack of fiber, excess fats, sugar and salt. Baxter will examine these problems and offer easy ways to improve nutrition by modifying recipes. Her series will publish on the first Tuesday of every month.
By Alvena Baxter
Special to The Gazette
Grandma called it roughage. Today we call it fiber. For some time, news reports and magazine articles have been encouraging us to eat more fiber-rich foods.
So, just what is fiber? Why should we increase it in our diet, and how do we do that?
Fiber is the part of plant foods we cannot absorb or digest. We do not have the enzymes in our digestive system to break down that part of plant cells.
There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. We need both types to achieve positive nutritional results.
Most plants contain both but in different quantities; therefore, we should eat a variety of plant-based foods every day. Generally, we need 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day. It is estimated that most of us get only about 10 grams per day.
In general, fiber serves several very important functions for our body.
Fiber helps our digestive process by cleansing the colon — acting like little scrub brushes — cleaning out bacteria and other buildup. Many authorities believe this reduces the risk for certain cancers.
Fiber also helps keep us regular, reducing constipation. It is generally thought that fiber helps control total blood cholesterol by lowering the low-density lipoprotein (“bad” cholesterol), thus helping protect the heart. This happens as fiber binds with cholesterol and helps eliminate it from the body.
The risk of developing Type 2 diabetes may also be lessened as fiber slows the absorption of sugar into the blood stream.
Fiber provides no calories but helps give us that “full” feeling, which can help prevent overeating. Fiber won’t cancel out calories, as some believe, but it could be a dieter’s best friend. Eating a high fiber diet can replace other poor quality, less nutrient-dense foods, including foods high in fat and sugar.
How do we increase fiber in our diet?
Choose whole grain foods. This means the bran, the outer part of the grain kernel, is left on during processing. The more processed the food, the less fiber it will have. Therefore, choose brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread products and whole grain, non-sweetened cereals.
Be careful when choosing bread products, however. Just because the bread is brown in color doesn’t necessarily mean it is whole grain. Some processors add molasses to “white” bread making it appear to be whole grain when it is not. Check for at least 3 grams of fiber per serving on the bread label.
Look for the terms “whole grain” as the first ingredient on the food label. Many companies are now including a standardized symbol on the packaging to indicate the food is an excellent fiber source. The package can claim it is “rich in,” or “high in” fiber, if the food provides 5 grams of fiber per serving.
Choose whole fruits and vegetables. Much of the fiber-rich skin and membrane is removed in making juices. Leave the peel on fruits and vegetables, if possible.
The market is flooded with fiber supplements. These may be suitable for some people, but nutrients are always more beneficial when consumed in combination with each other through food. Fiber supplements should be in addition to food, not in place of food. Consult your doctor before choosing to take fiber supplements.
If you are just beginning to increase fiber in your diet, do so slowly to prevent digestive upset. Drink plenty of water or other healthful drinks so the fiber can work properly.
Easy ways to get more fiber
With a little effort and label reading, boosting dietary fiber can become an easy habit and helps increase the chances of living a healthful life. Here are some helpful tips:
• Choose foods with five or more grams of fiber per serving.
• Eat cereals with fiber or bran in their name.
• Add a few tablespoons of wheat bran (found in the cereal section of the grocery store) to foods such as casseroles, meat loaf, cookies, muffins, etc.
• Use crushed whole grain cereals as toppings for casseroles, apple crisp, salads, and cooked vegetables.
• Substitute about half of the all-purpose flour in baking with whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour is slightly heavier, so experiment to see if a little more baking powder or yeast might be needed.
• Increase the use of beans, peas and nuts.
• Make snacks high in fiber by eating carrots, fruits, plain popcorn, or whole grain crackers.
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