Fiber: Essential For Health
Fiber: Essential For Health
What is fiber and why is it important?
Fiber includes the parts of plant foods that your body can’t digest or absorb. Most fiber passes through your GI tract to your colon where it feeds gut bacteria leading to a healthier gut and other health benefits such as better immune system function and less inflammation.
Fiber has many additional health benefits including:
- Aids in achieving a healthy weight. Eating high fiber foods helps to promote a feeling of fullness through slowing down digestion in the stomach so you will likely eat less and stay satisfied longer. In addition, high fiber foods like fruits and vegetables tend to take longer to eat due to the need to chew more and, as a result, you will eat more slowly. High fiber foods also contain less calories and fat.
- Helps control blood sugar levels. Fiber, especially soluble fiber, can slow the absorption of sugar in the GI tract and thus helps to improve blood sugar levels. Insoluble fiber may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Lowers cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by binding to cholesterol and removing it from the blood. High fiber foods may also have other heart health benefits such as reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
- Promotes regularity in bowel habits and prevents constipation. Fiber adds bulk to the digestive tract which increases the size of your stool and stimulates the intestines so you are less likely to have constipation. If you tend to have loose stools, fiber can help solidify stool since it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool.
- Helps maintain bowel health. Eating a high-fiber diet may decrease your risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in your colon (known as diverticular disease).
Soluble and Insoluble Fiber
There are 2 types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Both of these types are good for your health.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material. It can help lower both blood glucose levels and cholesterol levels. This type of fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, lentils, nuts, apples, blueberries, citrus fruits, carrots and barley.
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. It helps material move through your digestive system, provides bulk for your stools and helps prevent constipation. This type of fiber is found in whole wheat flour, wheat bran, brown rice, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, nuts, and beans.
You may have noticed that beans and nuts are on the lists for both soluble and insoluble fiber. Most plants contain varying amounts of both types of fiber. For the greatest health benefit, eat a wide variety of high fiber foods.
What are good sources of fiber?
The Health Plus program recommends that you eat at least 25 grams of fiber each day. It can be challenging to meet this goal. The best sources of fiber are whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes (lentils, beans, soybeans, chickpeas, fresh peas, sugar snap peas, and snow peas), nuts and seeds.
Some higher fiber, low fat foods include:
| Type of Food | Serving Size | Grams of Fiber/Serving |
| WHOLE GRAINS | ||
| Barley (Pearled), cooked | 1 cup | 6 |
| Bran Flakes | 1 cup | 7 |
| Brown Rice | 1 cup | 3.5 |
| Oatmeal, cooked | 1 cup | 4 |
| Popcorn, air popped | 3 cups | 3.5 |
| Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup | 5.2 |
| FRUITS | ||
| Apple with Skin | 1 medium | 4.4 |
| Banana | 1 medium | 3.1 |
| Blackberries | 1 cup, fresh | 8 |
| Blueberries | 1 cup, fresh | 4 |
| Cherries | 1 cup, fresh | 3 |
| Mango | 1 cup, fresh | 3 |
| Pear with skin | 1 medium | 5.5 |
| Raspberries | 1 cup, fresh | 8 |
| Strawberries | 1 cup, fresh | 3 |
| VEGETABLES | ||
| Artichoke | 1 medium | 7 |
| Asparagus | 1 cup, cooked | 3.6 |
| Beets | 1 cup, raw | 3.8 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup, raw | 2.4 |
| Brussels Sprouts | 1 cup, raw | 3.3 |
| Cauliflower | 1 cup, raw | 2.1 |
| Collard Greens | 1 cup, boiled | 5.3 |
| Green Beans | 1 cup, chopped | 3.4 |
| Kale | 3 cups, fresh | 2.4 |
| Potato with skin | 1 medium, baked | 4.6 |
| Spinach | 3 cups, fresh | 2 |
| Sweet Potato with skin | 1 medium, baked | 3.9 |
| LEGUMES | ||
| Black Beans | ½ cup, cooked | 8.3 |
| Black-eyed Peas | ½ cup, cooked | 4 |
| Edamame | ½ cup, shelled pods | 4 |
| Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) | ½ cup, cooked | 6.3 |
| Kidney Beans | ½ cup, cooked | 6.1 |
| Lentils | ½ cup, cooked | 6.6 |
| Lima Beans | ½ cup, cooked | 4.6 |
| Navy Beans | ½ cup, cooked | 9.6 |
| Peas | ½ cup, frozen | 3.6 |
| Pinto Beans | ½ cup, cooked | 7.5 |
| Split Peas | ½ cup, cooked | 8.1 |
Tips for eating more fiber
Do you need some ideas for getting more fiber each day? Try these suggestions:
- Start first thing in the morning. Choose a high fiber cereal that has “whole grain”, “bran” or “fiber” in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables. Have some fruit and/or vegetables with each meal and snack. Try to have at least 5 servings each day.
- Pick your snacks wisely. Snack on raw vegetables with low-fat hummus or air-popped popcorn instead of chips or crackers. Eat fresh or dried fruit instead of candy.
- Switch to whole grains. Look for breads and pasta that have “whole wheat” or “whole wheat flour” listed as the first ingredient. Eat more brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal and barley.
- Experiment with legumes. Add beans to soups and chilis and beans or edamame to salads. Try to substitute beans or legumes for meat 2-3 times each week. Make black bean burgers or lentil burgers instead of using meat. Try chickpea pasta instead of wheat pasta.
- Bulk up baked goods. Use whole grain flour instead of half or even all of the white flour in recipes. Add unprocessed wheat bran, crushed bran cereal or uncooked oatmeal to muffins, cakes and cookies. (See the Recipe section for some delicious recipes that use these baking tips: Low Fat Peach Bread, Chocolate Cake, Black Bean Brownies, Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins).
Gradually increase fiber and drink more water
Increasing the amount of fiber you eat too quickly can result in stomach bloating, gas and cramping. So you may want to gradually increase the amount of fiber you eat over the course of a few weeks. This will allow the bacteria in your gut to adjust to the higher amount of fiber in your dietary pattern. Make sure you also drink plenty of water since this can help decrease the adverse symptoms. In addition, fiber works best when it absorbs water. This will help keep your stools soft and bulky.
How does cooking foods affect the fiber content?
When you cook high fiber foods, the heat breaks down the fiber and softens the food. This will lead to less fiber being available for your body. However, this can be beneficial in some situations. It is easier to chew fruits and vegetables that are firm and tender rather than crunchy, especially for older people and people with dental issues. Many foods taste better when they have been cooked. Cooking can also decrease the digestive issues, such as bloating and gas, some people experience when eating a lot of fiber.
Loss of fiber can be avoided by cooking fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes until they are tender and firm, but not mushy. When cooking grains such as brown rice or quinoa, don’t use too much water since pouring off excess water will remove fiber and nutrients. Try and eat fruits and vegetables as close to raw as possible to maximize the amount of fiber you eat.
Information compiled from:
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/22-high-fiber-foods
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983