Making Fiber A Part Of Your Diet

Dietary fiber is the parts of plants that your body can’t digest. Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. There are two kinds of fiber, soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fiber can help lower your blood cholesterol when eaten on a regular basis as part of a low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet. Foods high in soluble fiber include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apples. Of these, oats have the greatest proportion of soluble fiber.
Helpful Tip - When increasing fiber in your diet, do so gradually and increase the fluids you drink at the same time (unless your health care team advises differently). If you don’t, you may become constipated.

Insoluble fiber does not help lower blood cholesterol, but helps you have regular bowel movements. Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, rye, rice, barley, most other grains, cabbage, beets, carrots, brussels sprouts, turnips and cauliflower.

The American Heart Association (AHA) Eating Plan suggests eating a variety of food fiber sources. Foods that contain fiber also are often good sources of other essential nutrients. Depending on how these foods are prepared, they are often low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.

http://www.medformation.com/ac/hearthealth.nsf/page/fiber
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Have You Had Your Fiber Today?

Research shows that a high-fiber diet may help prevent cancer, heart disease, and other serious ailments. The problem is that most Americans don't get enough fiber. The typical American eats only about 11 grams of fiber a day, according to the American Dietetic Association. Health experts recommend a minimum of 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day for most people. Based on scientific evidence, the FDA has approved four claims related to fiber intake and
lowered risk of heart disease and cancer.

One claim states that dietary soluble fiber, when part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. In 1997, FDA approved this claim for certain foods containing whole oats and in 1998, for certain foods containing psyllium seed husk. The other three claims, allowed since 1993, are:
* Grain products, fruits, and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
* Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
* Fiber or vitamin A (as beta-carotene) and vitamin C, may reduce the risk of some cancers.
http://www.mdri.com/Resources/Have%20You%20Had%20Your%20Fiber%20Today.htm
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Study Finds That High Fiber Fruit, Vegetable and Nut Diet Lowers Cholesterol

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nuts may reduce cholesterol levels and consequently lower the risk of heart disease as effectively as state-of-the-art drug therapy, results of a recent study by researchers at the University of Toronto reveal.

The researchers investigated the effects of three diets on 10 healthy individuals. Each person followed a vegetarian diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nuts containing 100 grams of fiber; a diet of mostly cereals and legumes, containing 40 grams of fiber; and a low-fat diet that contained 25 grams of fiber, for 2 weeks. After just 1 week, individuals on the high-fiber diet lowered total cholesterol by about 20% and reduced LDL ("bad") cholesterol by about 30%.

Other diets tested led to more modest reductions in cholesterol, possibly because they contained fewer nuts than the high-fiber diet, according to researchers. The tested diet contained an average of 67 grams of nuts daily.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EUY/is_15_7/ai_73639772
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Fiber-Rich Foods Can Lower Blood Pressure

In the war against high blood pressure, fruits and vegetables can play a potent role, suggests new research published in the March issue of the Journal of Hypertension. Eating a high fiber diet can lower high blood pressure and even improve healthy blood pressure levels, say Tulane University researchers.

"We performed a comprehensive analysis of data from 25 clinical trials, and all the data pointed to one strong conclusion: Adding fiber to a person's diet has a healthy effect on their blood pressure," says Seamus Whelton, lead author and a medical student at the Tulane University School of Medicine.

"Analyzing a large number of studies lends strength to the conclusions of clinical trials that involved too few participants to show an effect of dietary fiber on blood pressure," Whelton adds.

The data represent 1,477 adult study participants. People who ate 7.2 to 18.9 grams of fiber a day experienced a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Studies that continued for eight or more weeks also showed significant reductions in blood pressure.

The researchers recommend that people add fruits and vegetables to their diets in order to increase dietary fiber intake. People can also get dietary fiber in pill form, Whelton says.

"Other lifestyle changes can also help reduce blood pressure," Whelton added. He encourages people with high blood pressure to talk with their physician about lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise habits.
by Carla Sharetto
http://health.dailynewscentral.com/content/view/000466/41
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High Fiber Foods In Six Easy Steps

Foods that rate high in fiber can also be delicious. It's just a matter of making the right choices. Here are six basic types of food that contain high amounts of dietary fiber:

1. Beans - including pinto, navy, lima, kidney, and baked beans. Beans are especially high in soluble fiber, the cholesterol-lowering type.

2. Whole Grains - Wheat bran and Oat bran can be found in a variety of cereals and breads. Check the label. It must say whole wheat or whole grain. Plain wheat bread has little fiber. Also be aware that brown bread is not always high in fiber. Sometimes bread is artificially colored to make it look more wholesome.

3. Whole Fresh Fruits - these contain pectin which is another soluble fiber. Figs, prunes, and raspberries have the highest fiber content.

4. Cooked Fruits - cooking does not destroy the fiber. Prunes and applesauce are good choices.

5. Green Leafy Vegetables - be aware that most leafy vegetables like lettuce are mostly water and contain little fiber per serving. A typical lettuce salad is a poor choice. Spinach, kale, and broccoli are suggested.

6. Root Vegetables - potatoes, turnips, and carrots are best.

http://www.gihealth.com/html/education/highFiberDiet.html
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High-Fiber Foods For A Heart-Healthy You

It's not where you start, it's where you finish. So get the morning off to a great start with a bowl of high fiber cereal with fresh fruit. Fiberlady is pleased to inform you that if you choose a cereal high in fiber with your favorite fruit on top, you could get as much as a third of your daily fiber requirement. For optimal health, 25-30 daily grams of fiber-rich foods is the goal. High fiber foods effectively reduce the risk of cancer, gastrointestinal conditions and diseases and the all too prevalent killer in our society, heart disease.

There are many studies that have verified the importance of a high fiber diet. One such 11-year British study showed how women and men reduced their chances of death from all causes by one third because of their high fiber intake. For women, the risk of heart disease was cut by nearly a half.

The lack of dietary fiber is a critical issue in the hearts of most Americans' diets. Fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, lentils, and whole grain breads are the high fiber foods that provide you with the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that are the key essentials for good health and a healthy heart.

Fiberlady heartily encourages you to fulfill your dietary fiber requirements until it becomes second nature to your lifestyle. Start now.
by Stephanie Shank aka Fiberlady
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Fiber Supplements: Safe To Take Every Day?

There's no evidence that long-term use of fiber supplements, such as Metamucil, Konsyl or Citrucel, is harmful. Doctors may recommend that people with certain digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or chronic constipation, take fiber supplements indefinitely.

Be sure to drink plenty of water or other fluids every day if you take fiber supplements. Fiber tends to absorb water. If your fluid intake is low and you increase fiber in your diet, stool can become hard — making constipation worse.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber-supplements/AN00130
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Add Fiber for Greater Health Benefits

The cornerstone of a healthy diet is whole grains and cereals and fruits and vegetables, according to the USDA Food Guide Pyramid and the newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The fiber found in plant products, including fruits, vegetables and grains, have the following benefits:

Insoluble fiber helps you avoid chronic constipation, diverticular disease and hemorrhoids.

Soluble fiber may lower cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.

High-fiber foods help you feel full, preventing overeating. High-fiber foods tend to be low in fat and calories.

Fiber-rich foods may help reduce the risk of some cancers.

Adequate fiber intake lowers risk of developing diabetes by helping you maintain a healthy weight.

Health experts recommend that adults eat 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber daily. The typical American adult gets only about 15 grams, according to the USDA. Children need fiber, too. Over the age of three the amount needed each day is the child’s age plus five grams of fiber. For example, a six-year-old should get 11 grams of fiber daily.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/successfulfamily/Nutrition%20&%20Wellness/addfib.htm
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Feeding Kids Fiber

Researchers from Penn State University recently asked parents of 5,437 young children to report what their kids ate over a two-day period. The youngsters’ main sources of fiber turned out to be applesauce, fruit cocktail, and pizza! Results of the survey were published in the February 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Kids need fiber for the same reasons adults do: to prevent constipation and to protect against heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and some types of cancer later in life. You get fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and cereals (look for products providing four to five grams of fiber per serving). In addition to fiber, these foods also provide such important nutrients as iron, folate and vitamins A and C.

The National Academy of Sciences recommends eating 14 grams of fiber for each 1,000 calories consumed. That may be hard for parents to calculate on an every- day basis. The American Heart Association has a simpler formula, a fiber guideline of age plus 5. Here’s the way it works: a five year old should consume 5 (his age) plus 5 for a total of 10 grams. The Heart Association recommends that the parents of all kids over age two should make an effort to ensure that their children get the recommended amount of fiber for their age. Once a child starts consuming an adult level of calories (1,500 per day) his fiber intake should be 25 grams, the amount recommended for adults.

Andrew Weil, M.D
http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA356150/
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Fiber Tops List Of What’s Set To Sell

Trying to keep up with food trends can feel as futile as shoveling the driveway in the middle of a blizzard. But when there’s compelling evidence—or a break in the storm—it’s a little easier to follow the winds of change. And for the foreseeable future, the No. 1 trend is going to be foods high in fiber, and often that means whole grains.

“Fiber is really hot,” says Stacey Zawel, president of Zawel Health Collaborative in Hingham, Mass., and executive director of the Beans for Health Alliance. Indeed, Productscan Online reported in September that the percentage of new-product introductions making high-fiber claims has nearly doubled in 2004, from 2.5 percent to 4.2 percent.

Natural and organic food producers, such as Rudi’s Organic Bakery and Nature’s Path, market numerous whole-grain, high-fiber products. But even mainstream mainstays like General Mills, Sara Lee and Nestlé have launched high-fiber products in recent months. GM announced it would be reformulating all its breakfast cereals with whole grains. Nestlé’s Lean Cuisine brand is launching a line called Spa Cuisine, which contains lean meat, vegetables and whole grains; and Sara Lee has rolled out new high-fiber varieties of Earth Grains bread.

One reason for the rising interest in whole grains and high fiber is the decline of the low-carb diet fad but continued interest in weight control. “Y’know, fiber’s the whole story there,” Zawel says. People “are moving away from simple carbohydrates and toward complex carbs, which means fiber.” Adding punch is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s August report on dietary guidelines, which emphasizes the ability of whole grains to reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and help with weight control. Consumers are urged to eat at least three 1-ounce servings daily of whole-grain foods, “preferably in place of refined grains.”
by Laurie Budgar
http://www.newhope.com/naturalcategorybuyer/ncb_backs/Winter_05/resolution.cfm?path=print
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