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Fill Up and Feel Fabulous with Fiber


Mmmm…fiber!  Eating fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables is a good strategy for staying healthy.  Hearty whole grains boost your fiber needs, making you feel fuller longer—a good strategy for weight control and overall health.  Fiber-filled, fruits and vegetables offer great tastes like oh-so-enticing sweets and spices perfect for any snack or meal. 

Long declared as part of a healthy diet, fiber appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, and constipation.  Exactly what is it?  What are good sources of fiber? Continue reading for ways you can begin improving your health today.


Types of Dietary Fiber
You may have seen dietary fiber on nutrition labels listed as soluble fiber or insoluble fiber. Which type is best?  Both!  Each has important health benefits, so eat a variety of these foods to get enough of both.  Dietary fiber is found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grain foods, as listed below:
Soluble fiber is found in the following:
  • Oatmeal  
  • Oat bran
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Most fruits (e.g., strawberries, blueberries, pears, and apples)
  • Dry beans and peas 
Insoluble fiber found in the following: 
  • Whole wheat bread
  • Barley 
  • Brown rice
  • Couscous
  • Bulgur or whole grain cereals
  • Wheat bran
  • Seeds
  • Most vegetables
  • Fruits

Health Benefits of Fiber

Insufficient fiber intake can increase your risk for many health problems, including constipation, high cholesterol, weight gain, irritable bowel syndrome, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer of the colon. Start increasing your fiber intake today and begin seeing results tomorrow!
 

How Much Dietary Fiber Do I Need Each Day? 
 
For adults, it's recommended that you get 14 grams of dietary fiber for every 1,000 calories that you consume each day. If you need 2,000 calories each day, you should try to include 28 grams of dietary fiber.  Generally, children under 18 years require less. Using the "age plus five" rule will help you determine your child's needs. For example, a 5-year-old would need 10 grams daily (5 + 5 = 10), and a 10-year-old would need 15 grams (10 + 5 = 15).

To find out how many calories you need each day, visit MyPyramid.gov and enter your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level in the My Pyramid Plan tool.  Then refer to the Easy Fiber Estimator below to find how many grams you need.
 
Easy Dietary Fiber Estimator
Daily calorie needs
Daily dietary fiber needs
1000
14 grams
1200
17 grams
1400
20 grams
1600
22 grams
1800
25 grams
2000
28 grams
2200
31 grams
2400
34 grams
2600
36 grams
2800
39 grams
3000
42 grams



Jumpstart your Fiber Intake Today!
At first, you may find it challenging to eat all of your daily fiber grams. Just take it slowly and try to choose high-fiber foods more often. Over time, you'll gradually be eating more fiber!  The following are some simple tips to jumpstart your intake of dietary fiber:
  • Choose whole fruits more often than fruit juice. Fresh, frozen, or canned.
  • Try to eat two vegetables with your evening meal.
  • Keep a bowl of veggies already washed and prepared your refrigerator— try carrots, cucumbers, or celery for a quick snack.  Visit www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov for some fresh ideas.
  • Make a meal around dried beans or peas (also called legumes) instead of meat.
  • Replace white rice, bread and pasta with brown rice and whole grain breads and pastas. A good guide is to make at least ½ of your grain choices be whole grains.
  • Start your day with a whole grain breakfast cereal, low in added sugar. Top your cereal with fruit for even more fiber. While bananas may come to your mind first, you can add even more variety by also trying sliced peaches or berries. You can often find these fruits year-round in the frozen foods section of your grocery store.