Healthy Lifestyle

Boosting your fiber intake

How much fiber do you need each day? The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, which provides science-based advice on matters of medicine and health, gives the following daily recommendations for adults:

• Men : range-age 50 and younger need 38 grams ; range-age 51 and older need 30 grams
• Women : range-age 50 and younger need 25 grams ; ranger-age 51 and older need 21 grams

If you aren't getting enough fiber each day, you may need to boost your intake. Choose whole-grain products, raw or cooked fruits and vegetables, and dried beans and peas. Refined or processed foods — such as fruit juice, white bread and pasta, and non-whole-grain cereals — are lower in fiber content. The grain-refining process removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, which lowers its fiber content. Similarly, removing the skin from fruits and vegetables decreases their fiber content.

So what are your best sources? This list shows the amount of dietary fiber in several types of foods.
Food item (with Fiber content in grams*)
Split peas, cooked, 1 cup (16.3 grams)
Red kidney beans, boiled, 1 cup (13.1 grams)
Raspberries, raw, 1 cup (8.0 grams)
Whole-wheat spaghetti, 1 cup (6.3 grams)
Oat bran muffin, medium (5.2 grams)
Broccoli, boiled, 1 cup (5.1 grams)
Oatmeal, quick, regular or instant, cooked, 1 cup (4.0 grams)
Green beans, cooked, 1 cup (4.0 grams)
Brown rice, cooked, 1 cup (3.5 grams)
Apple, medium with skin (3.3 grams)
Popcorn, air-popped, 2 cups (2.4 grams)
Whole-wheat bread, one slice (1.9 grams)
*Fiber content can vary between brands.Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, 2004

Whole foods rather than fiber supplements are generally better. Fiber supplements — such as Metamucil, Citrucel and FiberCon — don't provide the vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients that high-fiber foods do. However, some people may still need a fiber supplement if dietary changes aren't sufficient, or if they have certain medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome. So, please check with your doctor if you feel you need to take fiber supplements

posted by Unknown @ 9:18 AM