How Are You Doing With Fiber?

The National Cancer Institute recommends that you increase the amount of fiber in your diet to 20-30 grams of fiber a day. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, cereals, dried beans, and peas. When shopping, read the food label. Foods that are high infiber contain 5 or more grams of fiber in a serving. Foods that are good sources of fiber contain 2.5 to 5 grams of fiber in a serving. Use the Nutrition Facts section of the food label to campare the dietary fiber content of products before you buy foods. Compare serving sizes when comparing dietary fiber content of foods.

Here's how quickly some simple food choices within a day can add up to at least 20 grams of fiber.


Breakfast choices:
1 oz bran flake cereal.............................4.0
1 medium banana....................................2.4
6 oz orange juice..................................0.5
Lunch choices:
1 sandwich (2 slices whole wheat bread)............3.0
2 cookies (fig bars)...............................2.0
1 large pear, with skin............................6.2
Dinner choices:
spaghetti (1 cup pasta)............................1.1
1 3/4 cup salad (mixed greens with carrots,
broccoli, and kidney beans.........................7.1
Total.............................................26.3
http://seniorhealth.about.com/library/nutrition/bldoingfiber.htm
High Fiber Health

Fiber: An Aid To Preventing Childhood Obesity

In the United States, one out of every five children is obese. Overweight children are at risk for such disorders as Type II diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, insulin resistance and liver disease.

Setting a good example for your children by eating a balanced diet and exercising can help your child achieve a healthy weight and avoid becoming an overweight or obese adult. Increasing dietary fiber is one simple step you can take towards improving your whole family's eating habits.

In children just as in adults, high fat, high calorie and high sugar foods are a major contributor to obesity. Giving your child healthy, fiber rich snacks such as Gnu Bars, fruits and vegetables is a good rule of thumb. High-fiber foods satisfy your child's hunger and help curb unhealthy snacking. You can find out more about how dietary fiber works to aid weight control in our section on dietary fiber and weight loss/obesity.

A good resource for you and your child to explore together is the US Department of Agriculture's Website at http://www.mypyramid.gov and select the "For Kids" area in the menu to the left. The site targets 6- to 11- year olds and helps them to learn the benefits of combining good eating habits with physical activity to create a healthy lifestyle. Here you'll find a host of interactive tools, games and posters based on the Agriculture Department's recommended food guidelines and pyramid.

Of course, if you have questions or are concerned about your child's weight, diet or exercise habits, consult your pediatrician or physician.

http://www.gnufoods.com/kids.cfm
High Fiber Health

Tips For Increasing Fiber In Your Diet

* Substitute whole wheat flour for half or all of the flour in home baked goods.
* When buying breads, crackers and breakfast cereals, make sure the first ingredient listed is whole wheat flour or another whole grain.
* Use brown rice, whole grain barley, bulgur (cracked wheat), buckwheat, groats (kasha) and millet in soups and salads, or as cereals and side dishes.
* Try a variety of whole wheat pastas in place of regular pasta.
* Sprinkle bran in spaghetti sauce, sloppy joes, ground meat mixtures and casseroles, pancakes, and other quick breads, and in cooked cereals and fruit crisp toppings.
* Eat skins and edible seeds of raw fruits and vegetables.
* For high fiber snacks, eat fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain crackers or popcorn.
* For lunches, pick crunchy vegetables stuffed in whole wheat pita bread, salads and hearty vegetable and bean soups.
* For dessert, bake berry pies, apples stuffed with prunes, dates, and raisins; fruit compotes; whole wheat fruit breads; brown rice or whole wheat bread puddings; and whole wheat cakes and cookies.
* Try Middle Eastern, Oriental and Mexican dishes that make liberal use of vegetables, whole grains and dried beans.
* Use whole grain or bran cereals for crunchy toppings on ice cream, yogurt, salads or casseroles. Nuts, toasted soybeans, sunflower kernels, and wheat germ also can add interesting flavors and increase the fiber content of you meal.
* Many vegetarian and high fiber cookbooks contain excellent high fiber recipes.

Note that many fiber values listed on labels, cookbooks and other reference materials use crude fiber values which are now outdated. Therefore, it is recommended that you use the dietary fiber values listed on the following pages when planning your meal menus.
http://www.midwestgastro.com/diet_nutrition/High_Fiber.html
High Fiber Health

Fill 'er Up With Fiber

There is no doubt among medical mavens that fiber is strongly associated with reduced incidence of heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, some cancers, and, it even helps with weight control. But for some among us, figuring out how to consume the 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day that we are urged to eat can be real challenge. As a result, the average American diet includes only about half the recommended amount. Here are some suggestions from the American Dietetic Association on how to get more fiber in your diet.

Increase the variety of foods you eat. With a little of this and a little of that you will cover soluble and insoluble fibers and get the benefits of both.

Don't skip breakfast. Breakfast is a key fiber meal--cereals, bran muffins, whole wheat toast, fruits. Go for unprocessed selections. Look for breakfast cereals with five or more grams of fiber per serving.

Switch to whole grains. Whole grains are more than just whole wheat-think cornmeal, oatmeal, or rye. Once you've made that change, mushy white 4 bread will be forever a non-food item to you. Plan to eat legumes two to three times a week. They are among the best sources of fiber and they can help you reduce the amount of meat protein you consume.
Running & FitNews, April, 2002
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NHF/is_4_20/ai_87353191
High Fiber Health

Fiber for Your Whole Body

Once upon a time our diet was made up mostly of whole foods loaded with fiber. While we may have fallen to a wild beast or infection, fiber helped keep our cholesterol and blood sugar levels low, and kept our bowels functioning smoothly.

Now in our frenzied lifestyle, we're more likely to grab fast food or use prepared foods at home that have only a passing acquaintance with dietary fiber. It's a little known fact: Most of us should double the amount of fiber we eat if we want to reap its benefits.

"I don't think it would be a bad idea to flip the food pyramid and suggest nine to 11 servings of fruits and vegetables a day instead of the five to seven we recommend now," says William Hart. "None of us eats enough fiber." The average American eats 12 grams of fiber a day; most health organizations recommend 20-35 grams.

Studies have shown that dietary fiber -- including foods such as apples, barley, beans, and other legumes, fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, oat bran, and brown rice -- clearly lower blood cholesterol. High-fiber foods are also digested more slowly, so they don't cause spikes in blood sugar levels like white bread, potatoes, and sweets do. Of course, everyone knows that fiber helps keep you regular, but so do laxatives. Fiber, however, has an added plus: High-fiber foods help us feel full, making it easier to control weight.

You get more nutritional "bang for your buck" with high-fiber food, says Hart.
By Carol Sorgen
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/80/96416.htm
High Fiber Health