Looking to boost your health habits and improve the nutritional quality of your diet? Think about fiber.
A low-fat diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grain products contain fiber (particularly soluble fiber) that may lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce risk of heart disease. This type of a diet may also reduce risk for some types of cancer.
In addition, fiber-containing grain products, fruits and vegetables helps digestion run smoothly. As an added bonus, eating high fiber foods can be filling and help satisfy appetite. Most experts recommend at least 25 to 35 grams of dietary fiber each day for adults. For children 3 to 18 years, the American Health Foundation recommends 5 grams plus age (for example, 17 grams for a 12-year-old).
If, like most Americans, you and your kids don't meet your fiber quota, here are four tips to help you fit it in:
1. Go for the grain. Whole grain choices -- breads, cereals, crackers and pasta -- provide roughly 2 grams or more fiber per serving (a serving is 1 slice of bread, 1/2 to 1 cup cereal, 4 to 6 crackers or 1/2 cup cooked pasta).
If your family is accustomed to eating white bread and other refined foods, gradually make the switch to whole grain bread and other whole grain foods until you eat at least 2 of your bread/grain servings of breads, crackers, cereal, and other starches from whole grains (look for whole wheat or another whole grain flour such as barley, buckwheat, corn, oats, rice or rye first in the ingredient list).
2. Strive for at least five servings of fruits and veggies. Five or more daily servings (1 small piece of raw fruit, 2 to 4 pieces of dried fruit, 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup of raw vegetables) will boost your fiber intake -- with each serving providing roughly 2 grams of fiber.
Good fiber sources include fresh or dried apples, apricots, dried figs, prunes, mango, orange, pear, strawberries, raspberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, green beans, kale, okra, green peas, sweet potatoes and acorn squash.
3. Make no beans about it. On average, 1/2 cup of beans contains a whopping 5 grams of fiber. Black beans, butter beans, kidney (red) beans, navy beans, pinto beans and white beans are healthy, high fiber picks. Have beans a few times each week -- you can mix them with brown, white or Spanish rice or ground lean meat, toss in salad or soups, or wrap with melted cheese and vegetables in a corn tortilla or taco.
4. Take your time. Add fiber to your diet slowly and gradually, and drink plenty of fluids along the way. This will help you and your kids minimize any gastrointestinal discomfort (bloating or gas) that can occur, and will improve your odds for maintaining these changes over time.
by Elisa S. Zied, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.
http://www.wral.com/news/1237006/detail.html
High-Fiber-Health
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