The Wonders of Fiber

Fiber is a kind of carbohydrate and it comes from plant-based foods (grains, fruits, vegetables,,,). By including 25-30 grams of dietary fiber in your daily diet, you’ll reduce your risk of colon cancer, heart disease, diverticulosis and obesity.

There are two types: soluble and non-soluble. Soluble fiber helps control blood sugar and lowers your cholesterol. Oat bran, oatmeal, beans, barley, carrots, and citrus fruits are good sources of soluble fiber.

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends that we get between 20 – 35 grams of fiber every day. The ADA also reports that most Americans only get 12-17 grams per day. As you start and maintain your food log, monitor the fiber in your diet and increase it, where possible.

Fiber has the added benefit of filling you up. My bowl of oat bran (1 cup) for breakfast gets me well into the day before I get hungry again. So while a 300-calorie doughnut and a 300-calorie bowl of oat bran seem equivalent – the simple sugars of the doughnut won’t fill you up like the filling fiber of oat bran. If oat bran turns you off at first, try sprinkling a little cinnamon or sugar-substitute on it.

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