Chances are you’ve heard about the importance of fiber and for good reason! Dietary fiber is the indigestible carbohydrate component of plant foods such as grains, fruits and vegetables. It helps with several process of absorption leading to a variety of health benefits.
Biggest benefits
– Lower blood sugar: Fiber slows the absorption of sugar into the blood stream helping prevent the spike and crash normally caused by rapidly absorbed sugars. This allows your body to regulate your blood sugar with insulin and keep it at a normal and healthy level.
– Avoid constipation: Water is reabsorbed more readily in the colon with a high fiber diet. This bulks up the stool, making them softer and reducing constipation as well as other conditions that might come with that such as hemorrhoids.
– Reduced risk of heart disease: Several research studies have shown that diets high in dietary fiber reduce the risk of coronary artery disease (heart disease). In one such Harvard study, high dietary fiber intake showed a decrease of coronary artery disease by 40%. (1)
– Reduce risk of metabolic syndrome: Metabolic syndrome is the combination of high blood pressure, high insulin levels, obesity (especially excess abdominal fat), high triglycerides and low HDL (good) cholesterol. If you have any of these conditions, time to take a serious look at your fiber intake. High intake of dietary fiber has been shown to offer protective benefits against this condition. (2.3)
How much fiber?
The average intake of fiber in the US is around 15g per day. The recommended intake is 25-40g per day. So on average we only get about half the recommended amount. Now, you don’t want to go from 15g/day straight to 40g as this can wreak havoc on your digestive system. So slowly start to build it up!
Best food sources for fiber:
Fruits– strawberries (3g/cup), apples (4.4g), pears (5.5g), raspberries (8g/cup)
Vegetables– Carrots (3.6g/cup), beets (3.8g/cup), broccoli (2.4g/cup), artichoke (10.3g)
Grains– oats (16.5g/cup raw), quinoa (5.2g/cup cooked), wheat bread (1.9g/slice), brown rice (3.5g/cup cooked), whole wheat pasta (6g/cup cooked)
Beans/legumes– kidney beans (11.3g/cup cooked), lentils (15.6g/cup cooked), chickpeas (12.5g/cup cooked)
Tips:
If eating cereal, get at least 5 g per serving, use wheat flour when baking, add bran/chia seeds to food, eat whole fruits instead of juice, raw vegetables for snacks
Bottom line: Fiber has some great benefits for your health. But let’s not get too focused in on just fiber. It is likely that most of these benefits come from consuming whole food natural foods that contain fiber and not just the fiber itself. So focus on getting in your fruits and vegetable every day, using whole grains and you will be well on your way to getting the fiber benefits you want!
References:
- Rimm EB, Ascherio A, Giovannucci E, Spiegelman D, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC. Vegetable, fruit, and cereal fiber intake and risk of coronary heart disease among men. JAMA. 1996;275:447-51.
- McKeown NM, Meigs JB, Liu S, Wilson PW, Jacques PF. Whole-grain intake is favorably associated with metabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the Framingham Offspring Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;76:390-8.
- McKeown NM, Meigs JB, Liu S, Saltzman E, Wilson PW, Jacques PF. Carbohydrate nutrition, insulin resistance, and the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in the Framingham Offspring Cohort. Diabetes Care. 2004;27:538-46.
Terms of use: The contents of this website are for educational purposes only and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking care because of something you have read on this website.