Focus On Fiber: How Much Is Enough?

Focus On Fiber: How Much Is Enough? was written by Monique N. Gilbert

Looking for an easy and natural way increase your vitality and improve your overall well-being? Try eating more fiber!

Theaverage American only gets about half the amount of fiber they needeveryday for their body to function optimally. According to theAmerican Heart Association (AHA), fiber helps lower cholesterol and isimportant for the health of our digestive system. Both the AHA and theNational Cancer Institute recommend that we consume 25 to 30 grams offiber daily.

Dietary fiber is a transparent solid complexcarbohydrate that is the main part of the cell walls of plants. It hastwo forms: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber may help lower bloodcholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Insolublefiber provides the bulk needed for proper functioning of the stomachand intestines. It promotes healthy intestinal action and preventsconstipation by moving bodily waste through the digestive tract faster,so harmful substances don't have as much contact with the intestinalwalls.

Unfortunately, many people are not eating this muchfiber, which is causing serious cardio-vascular health concerns.Recently the AHA and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) confirmedthat coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the UnitedStates, killing more people than any other disease. It causes heartattack and angina (chest pain). A blood clot that goes to the heart isconsidered a heart attack, but if it goes to the brain it is a stroke.The AHA ranks stoke as the third most fatal disease in America, causingparalysis and brain damage.

Eating a high-fiber diet cansignificantly lower our risk of heart attack, stroke and colon cancer.A 19-year follow-up study reported in the November 2001 issue ofArchives of Internal Medicine indicated that increasing bean and legumeintakes may be an important part of a dietary approach to preventingcoronary heart disease. Beans and legumes are high in protein andsoluble fiber. Another study reported in the January 2002 issue of theJournal of the American College of Cardiology also suggests thatincreasing our consumption of fiber-rich foods like whole grains,fruits and vegetables, can significantly lower the risk of heartdisease. Additionally, results from recent studies at the AmericanInstitute of Cancer Research indicate high-fiber protein-rich soyfoods, such as textured soy protein (also known as TVP) and tempeh,help in preventing and treating colon cancer.

Whole beans,soybeans and other legumes are excellent sources of fiber. A 1 cupserving of cooked navy beans contains about 19 grams of fiber! Alwaysread the Nutrition Facts label to find out the amount of, and the typeof, fiber contained in any particular food. To help you achieve yourdaily allotment of fiber, here is a list of various foods with theirfiber content.

Examples of Dietary Fiber:

•  1 cup cooked dry beans (navy, pinto, red, pink, black, garbanzo, etc.) = 9-19 grams of fiber
•  1 cup cooked lima beans = 13 grams of fiber
•  1 cup cooked peas = 9 grams of fiber
•  1 cup raisin bran cereal = 8 grams of fiber
•  1 cup canned pumpkin = 7 grams of fiber
•  1 cup cooked spinach = 7 grams of fiber
•  1/2 cup whole wheat flour = 7 grams of fiber
•  1/2 cup soy tempeh = 7 grams of fiber
•  1/2 cup soy flour = 6 grams of fiber
•  1/2 cup edamame (whole green soybeans) = 5 grams of fiber
•  1 cup cooked broccoli = 5 grams of fiber
•  6 Brussels sprouts = 5 grams of fiber
•  1 baked sweet potato = 5 grams of fiber
•  1 cup cooked brown rice = 4 grams of fiber
•  1 cup cooked old fashioned rolled oats = 4 grams of fiber
•  1 medium apple = 4 grams of fiber
•  1 medium orange = 4 grams of fiber
•  1 cup carrot strips = 4 grams of fiber
•  1/2 cup raspberries or blackberries = 4 grams of fiber
•  1 medium banana = 3 grams of fiber
•  5 dried plums (prunes) = 3 grams of fiber
•  1 ounce of nuts (almonds, peanuts, pistachios) = 3 grams of fiber
•  1 baked potato (russet) = 3 grams of fiber
•  1/4 cup dry roasted sunflower seeds = 3 grams of fiber
•  1 medium mango = 3 grams of fiber
•  1 medium tomato = 2 grams of fiber
•  1 cup pineapple juice = 2 grams of fiber
•  1/2 cup blueberries = 2 grams of fiber
•  1 cup romaine lettuce = 1.5 grams of fiber
•  1/2 cup tofu = 1 gram of fiber

MoniqueN. Gilbert, B.Sc. is a Personal Health, Nutrition & LifestyleCoach; Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Counselor; Recipe Developer,Freelance Writer and Author. Go to http://www.MoniqueNGilbert.com to learn more about Monique’s coaching.

Copyright © Monique N. Gilbert - All Rights Reserved

References:

**"Legume consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in US men andwomen: NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study." Bazzano, L. A., He, J.,Ogden, L. G., Loria, C., Vupputuri, S., Myers, L., Whelton, P. K.,Archives of Internal Medicine 2001 Nov 26;161(21):2573-2578.

**"A prospective study of dietary fiber intake and risk of cardiovasculardisease among women." Liu, S., Buring, J. E., Sesso, H. D., Rimm, E.B., Willett, W. C., Manson, J. E., Journal of the American College ofCardiology 2002 Jan 2;39(1):49-56.

** "Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook" by Monique N. Gilbert, Universal Publishers, 2001, pp. 11, 18, 24.

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