Dietary Fiber Facts
·The American Cancer Society, The American Heart Association and The American Diabetic Association recommend 25-35 grams of fiber daily from varied sources
·A healthy diet should contain soluble and insoluble fiber
·It is a fact that diets high in fiber encourage growth of anti-cancer bacteria.
·Increased dietary fiber may be helpful in treatment of certain kinds of diabetes.
·Added fiber helps prevent digestive diseases by contributing to bowel cleansing.
·Fiber is a safe natural laxative, and can be taken long term without side effects.
·Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, but instead absorbs water, causing bulk to speed food through the intestines.
oColon cancer is the number one killer of non-smokers.
oHigh fiber diets inhibits the development of the disease
oBulk dilutes the cancer causing substances and speeds them through the digestive tract giving these substances less time to do deadly work
oRemember insoluble is for intestines
·Soluble fiber helps regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and is known to aid in weight management.
oDiets high in soluble fiber lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol
oDiets high in soluble fiber raise “good” (HDL) cholesterol
oFiber slows digestion and makes you feel full longer
·We eat only about 1/5 the amount of fiber we did 100 years ago
·The average American consumes 8-11 grams of fiber daily
o1 slice whole wheat bread averages 1 1/2 – 2 grams fiber
o1/3 cup dry oat bran cereal contains 4.5 grams fiber
o1/2 cup cooked green beans contain about 2 grains fiber
·Increase fiber slowly to reduce bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain and gas.
·Dietary fiber is only found in plant foods, highest fiber foods are whole grain cereals followed by legumes, root vegetables then fruits.
·If your stool floats chances are your diet has a healthy amount of fiber.
·When you eat adequate amounts of fiber, you must have adequate water intake to prevent constipation. Adequate water is ½ ounce daily for each pound of body weight.
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