One of the most important aspects of food cannot be found on the food pyramid. It is dietary fiber. Fiber is natures cleaning product. It removes many harmful products and impurities that are found in our body. Fiber cleanses critical vessels and passages in our body such as our circulatory system and our intestines. For example, fiber helps to reduce cholesterol, fat and other harmful products from our blood vessels. Fiber is also critical in helping our large intestine clean out impurities. It can also help prevent constipation and other digestion problems.

Increasing the amount of fiber in your diet can really improve your health. Fiber can lower the amount of fat and cholesterol. This means that eating a higher fiber diet can reduce the chance of heart attacks or cardiovascular problems.

What else can a fiber-rich diet do? It can help reduce your chances of getting colon cancer. Also eating foods with high fiber content may help people with diabetes control this disease. Fiber also aids the digestive system.

Does fiber do anything else? Yes, eating foods with fiber leads to a longer lasting feeling of your stomach being full. Because fiber is a complex carbohydrate, it provides energy over a long time; it is not a quick bust of energy like simple sugars, like some sugary breakfast cereals. This long lasting feeling of being full and the gradual release of energy is why higher fiber products are really recommended for breakfast. Because eating high fiber foods means you are not hungry as quickly, many people eat less food during an entire day. We know what this means fewer calories - which means people might be able to lose unhealthy weight.

How much fiber should you eat every day? Experts now say that 20 25 milligrams (mg) of dietary fiber is what people should eat each day. In fact, one recent study says that one of the simplest ways to effectively lose weight is to eat 25 mg of fiber each day and exercise three to four times per week. Researchers say that this dietary plan could help an average person lose ten pounds per year.

Not all food products contain beneficial amounts of fiber. There are three major groups that are high in fiber. One is foods made from whole grains. For example, breakfast foods such as oatmeal, barley and bugler (cracked wheat) have very good levels of fiber. Also, breads and pastas made from whole grains also have a lot of fiber such as whole wheat breads or pastas.

Another group of products that is fiber rich are beans. This usually means the dry type of beans, such as black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and even lima beans.

The last groups of food products that have a lot of fiber are fruits and vegetables. While almost all fruits and vegetables have healthy amounts of fiber, items such as raspberries, tomato products, turnip greens/spinach, and peas have high levels of fiber.

On average, if people had just four servings of fruits and vegetables each day, plus a breakfast with a high fiber product, they would consume at least twenty grams of fiber. That would be a major improvement to diets.

As you are thinking about spring and planting a garden, consider raising some of these vegetables that are fiber rich. Try growing peas and beans; tomatoes are often very easy to grow as well.

Where can you find the amounts of dietary fiber in food? For packaged food products, check the Nutrition facts label on the bag or box. Dietary fiber is listed under Total Carbohydrates. Look for foods with three to five grams of fiber. For fruits and vegetables, check a fiber chart; if you want us to email you one, contact us a blueribbon@specialchefs.org.

A QUIZ

Question: Does eating food with high fiber contest leave your stomach feeling full for a longer time?

Answer. Yes.

Question: Should you have foods with a high fiber content for breakfast?

Answer: Most definitely, yes.

Question: Can eating high fiber foods help your health? How?

Answer: Yes, foods with high fiber can help keep your cholesterol under control, and improve your digestive system. Because eating fiber-rich foods also leads to your stomach feeling fuller for a longer period of time, you may also reduce the number of calories you consume, helping you to lose weight. 

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