Here is my take on fiber in your diet:
Fiber
You always hear people say, “Eat more fiber.” We all know that fiber is important in our diet. Do you know why?
Dietary fiber is mostly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Most people know that it will prevent or relieve constipation. It can also lower your risk for diabetes and heart disease and keep your digestive system in good working order.
First, let’s talk about what dietary fiber is and the different types. Fiber includes all the parts of a plant that your body CAN’T digest. It passes virtually unchanged through your stomach and small intestine and into your colon, unlike other foods like fats, proteins or carbohydrates, which your body breaks down and absorbs. For the most part, fiber has two classifications, those that dissolve in water (soluble) and those that don’t (insoluble).
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material. It helps lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Good sources are oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots and barley.
Insoluble fiber promotes the movement of food through your digestive system and increases bulk in your stools so it can help if you suffer from constipation or irregular stools. Good sources are whole wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables.
Men under 50 should have 38 grams of fiber per day, over 50, 30 grams per day. Women under 50 should have 25 grams of fiber per day, over 50, 21 grams per day.
Just SOME of the benefits of a fiber rich diet are:
Prevents constipation.
Lowers your risk for digestive problems such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), hemorrhoids, and diverticulitis.
Lowers blood cholesterol.
Controls blood sugar.
Aids in weight loss.
May reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
Most Americans get only about 8 grams of fiber per day. How are you going to increase your fiber? The simplest way is to change white bread for whole wheat, white rice for brown rice and white flour for whole wheat flour. Think of white food as the enemy. It is like pouring Elmer’s glue into your intestines, everything gets pasty and stuck. You slow your digestion down to the point that it causes constipation and those dreaded digestive disorders that I spoke of above. Here are fiber rich foods for you to become familiar with:
1 cup of bran cereal has 19.94 grams of fiber.
1 cup of cooked black beans has 14.92 grams of fiber.
1 medium avocado has 11.84 grams of fiber.
1 medium apple, with the skin has 5 grams of fiber.
1 cup of berries: raspberries, 8.34g; blueberries, 4.18g
1/2 a medium grapefruit has 6.12 grams of fiber.
1 cup of cooked peas has 8.84 grams of fiber.
1 cup of cooked sweet potato has 5.94 grams of fiber.
1 cup of cooked cabbage has 4.20 grams of fiber.
1 cup of dry rolled oats has 12 grams of fiber.
1 cup of dry brown rice has 7.98 grams of fiber.
1 cup of cooked lentils has 15.64 grams of fiber.
1 cup of cooked kidney beans has 13.33 grams of fiber.
That list is just to get you started in the right direction. It is up to you to find the fiber counts in other foods and see if they are fiber rich.
There are a couple of other things to remember:
First, don’t ever, ever forget your water. This is even more important when you are adding fiber to your diet. Water is what MOVES everything in your body. It not only keeps you hydrated but quite frankly, if you are constipated, you can bet that you don’t get enough water. I have tried for years to get my husband to understand that his problem with constipation is because he doesn’t drink water. He has one bowel movement a week and has for years. He gets cranky and fidgety. Finally, a few weeks ago, our doctor put him on medication for an unrelated problem and told him it was imperative that he drink at least 16 ounces of water each time he took the pills, four times a day. He did this for 10 days and finally said to me that all of a sudden his bowels were moving normally. He finally realizes that his lack of water intake was the problem all these years. Now, HE DRINKS HIS WATER!
Secondly, don’t rule out the benefits of flaxseeds in your diet. Here is part of an article from flaxfood.com:
~ Flax seed is the best high fiber food, providing the greatest level (26%) of high quality dietary fiber of any food.
~ Flax seed is 14% highly beneficial soluble fiber, and 12% high quality insoluble fiber, which is also needed in the diet.
~ Flax seed is the best choice as a fiber supplement for those pursuing a healthy high fiber diet.
~ The high fiber of flax seed cleans the intestines and improves the ease & volume of bowel elimination (better than psyllium seeds) -- people love this benefit!
~ The mucilage, the unique soluble fiber in flaxseed, absorbs moisture and becomes very mucilagenous. When you drink plenty of pure water with it, this soft gentle fiber is both soothing and cleansing to the digestive tract, especially the intestinal walls.
~ The soluble fiber of flax can make bowel elimination easier while increasing its volume, and reduce irritation at the same time, even for people with "irritable bowel" or problems with diverticuli.
~ The insoluble fiber in flax exercises the bowel muscles as it helps broom out debris from the colon and provides bulk for the formation of feces.
~ Also, this special dietary fiber in flax gently cleans excess mucus and other debris from the small intestine, improving absorption.
~ Pregnant women can enjoy the benefit of easier bowel movement safely with the high fiber supplement of flax seed, and it provides them great nutrition -- the crucial Omega 3 fatty acids, plus high quality protein and many vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants.
~ Natural health experts have long said that illness, death and "old-age" begin in the colon. It is VERY important to improve things there with food high in fiber.
~ The high fiber of flax also lowers cholesterol (better than oat bran), and moves other fats along, lessening their absorption. Thus flax seed helps with managing both cholesterol and triglycerides.
~ By satisfying hunger with few calories and with it's ability to reduce absorption of fats, flax seed is very helpful with weight reduction and control. It is the perfect food for a fiber trimming process to become "fiber thin".
If you are using flax seeds, make sure the seeds are ground up. Otherwise, you won't be able to absorb them. You can add the ground up seeds to cereal, salads, protein shakes, rice, or just eat them plain. A good plan is using 1-2 TBSP of the ground flax seeds per day.
I always grind my flaxseeds right before using them. I use one of those inexpensive coffee grinders that I keep exclusively for herbs and spices. I buy them in bulk and freeze them. You can take them straight out of the freezer and grind what you need. Some ideas are, sprinkle a tablespoon on a salad, toss some in your morning yogurt, add them in soups and stews right before serving (I would suggest that you fix your bowl and add the ground seeds directly to your serving), and they are great in a morning protein shake or my baked oatmeal.
Whatever you do neighbors, get proactive about what you do to help your body out. The benefits of increasing your fiber intake are phenominal!