The Importance of Fiber

What many complex carbohydrates have going for them that many simple carbohydrates do not is fiber. Many complex carbohydrates are naturally rich in fiber, and fiber has been shown to slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This helps maintain a steady feed of energy into the cells. After eating a food that has a lot of fiber, you won't get hungry again as quickly, and your energy level will remain higher. Another plus: Complex carbohydrates are naturally low in fat and calories, and they supply lots of vitamins and minerals.

fruit
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Fruits, which are high in soluble fiber,
can help lower your "bad" cholesterol.

It would be hard to overestimate the importance of having enough fiber in your diet. In addition to helping control blood sugar, fiber plays a role in preventing many health conditions and diseases. Although research has been controversial, high-fiber, plant-based diets may offer protection against colon cancer, the number-two cancer killer. Rich in phytonutrients and other cancer-fighting nutrients, fiber-rich foods are delicious weapons in the war on cancer. Fiber also helps keep you feeling fuller longer.

Fiber comes in two varieties, soluble and insoluble. Foods that are fiber rich are normally a combination of soluble and insoluble fibers. You'll get plenty of both with an overall increased intake of whole, minimally processed foods. But soluble and insoluble fiber have specialized jobs to do in the body, so let's take a look at how each one works.

Soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is found in oats, barley, most fruits and vegetables, flaxseed, and psyllium. It dissolves into a gummy substance with a gooey, gelatinous consistency. Its job is to grab "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and remove it from the body. This is important to your health because LDL circulates through the body, depositing cholesterol along the way. High LDL levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Eating foods high in soluble fiber, then, helps reduce LDL levels and can help prevent heart disease. As a result, some foods that are high in soluble fiber are allowed to carry health claims on their labels indicating that they have the potential to reduce the risk for heart disease and some cancers. Look for this health claim on whole-grain cereals, oat bran, and oatmeal. Soluble fiber can also help stabilize blood sugar following a meal. In fact, it's recommended that people with diabetes eat fiber-rich foods as a way to help keep blood sugar in check.

legumes
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The insoluble fiber found in beans
can help treat gastrointestinal
 disorders.

Insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber, also known as cellulose, does not dissolve in water. Instead, it soaks up water, adding bulk and softness to the stool and increasing pressure against the intestinal wall, stimulating it to contract and speed the contents through your system. These properties make insoluble fiber especially good at helping you maintain regularity and prevent constipation, and they are critical in the prevention and treatment of many gastrointestinal conditions and diseases, particularly diverticulosis. Insoluble fiber also contributes to feelings of fullness after eating, a boon to people who are trying to lose weight. Good sources of insoluble fiber include lentils and most other dried beans or legumes, green peas, spinach, sweet potatoes, berries, dried figs, barley, and bran cereal.

But even though fiber is critical to your health, not to mention your weight-control efforts, most Americans don't get nearly enough in their daily diet. According to the American Dietetic Association, Americans average around 14 grams of fiber per day, far short of the recommended 20 to 35 grams. One of the best reasons to replace refined carbohydrate foods with whole grains and round out your diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and legumes is to increase intake of dietary fiber.

On our final page, we'll talk about how all this carbohydrate information comes together to play such an important part in good nutrition and health.

Do You Eat Enough Fiber?
Use this chart to calculate your fiber intake for each food type*:   

   Multiply by the fiber
  Total Your Day's
   (in grams)  Fiber Intake (in grams)
Beans, lentils   _____ servings x 6 _______
Fruits, vegetables, whole-grain
products, nuts		   _____ servings x 2.5  _______
Refined grain products (white
bread, white rice, regular pasta)		   _____ servings x 1 
 _______
Other grain products (including
breakfast cereal)		   _____ servings x  _____ ** 
 _______
Total daily grams of dietary fiber    _______
   
* Daily serving sizes
1 serving of beans, lentils = 1/2 cup
1 serving of fruit = 1/2 cup canned or frozen, 1 medium size whole fruit, 1/2 cup of juice
1 serving of vegetables = 1 cup raw, leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables
1 serving whole grain products = 1 oz. equivalent = 1 slice bread, 1 cup dry cereal, 1/2 cup cooked pasta or rice
1 serving nuts = 1 ounce

** Check the label for the number of fiber grams per serving

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.