FOCUS ON FIBER: How Much is Enough?
By Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc.
Personal Health, Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach
http://www.MoniqueNGilbert.com
Looking for an easy and natural way increase your vitality and improve your overall well-being? Try eating more fiber!
The average American only gets about half
amount of fiber they need everyday for their body to function optimally. According to American Heart Association (AHA), fiber helps lower cholesterol and is important for health of our digestive system. Both AHA and National Cancer Institute recommend that we consume 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily.
Dietary fiber is a transparent solid complex carbohydrate that is main part of cell walls of plants. It has two forms: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber may help lower blood cholesterol and reduce risk of heart disease and stroke. Insoluble fiber provides bulk needed for proper functioning of stomach and intestines. It promotes healthy intestinal action and prevents constipation by moving bodily waste through digestive tract faster, so harmful substances don't have as much contact with intestinal walls.
Unfortunately, many people are not eating this much fiber, which is causing serious cardio-vascular health concerns. Recently AHA and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) confirmed that coronary heart disease is leading cause of death in United States, killing more people than any other disease. It causes heart attack and angina (chest pain). A blood clot that goes to heart is considered a heart attack, but if it goes to brain it is a stroke. The AHA ranks stoke as third most fatal disease in America, causing paralysis and brain damage.
Eating a high-fiber diet can significantly lower our risk of heart attack, stroke and colon cancer. A 19-year follow-up study reported in November 2001 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine indicated that increasing bean and legume intakes may be an important part of a dietary approach to preventing coronary heart disease. Beans and legumes are high in protein and soluble fiber. Another study reported in January 2002 issue of Journal of American College of Cardiology also suggests that increasing our consumption of fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, can significantly lower risk of heart disease. Additionally, results from recent studies at American Institute of Cancer Research indicate high-fiber protein-rich soy foods, such as textured soy protein (also known as TVP) and tempeh, help in preventing and treating colon cancer.
Whole beans, soybeans and other legumes are excellent sources of fiber. A 1 cup serving of cooked navy beans contains about 19 grams of fiber! Always read Nutrition Facts label to find out amount of, and type of, fiber contained in any particular food. To help you achieve your daily allotment of fiber, here is a list of various foods with their fiber content.
