The American Dietetic Association indicates that most Americans don't consume enough fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering your blood pressure and reducing your "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Fiber can also reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by lowering your blood glucose levels and aiding in weight loss.
Recommendations
The ADA says that adult males should consume 38 grams of fiber a day, and adult females should consume 25 grams of fiber per day. Children should consume 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories in their daily diets. It's best to fulfill your daily fiber requirement through the consumption of fiber-rich foods, rather than by taking fiber supplements. The ADA reports that not enough testing has been done on fiber supplements to confirm their health benefits. In addition, most fiber-rich foods contain additional healthy nutrients. This is because fiber-rich foods are plant-based -- they come in the form of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
Breakfast
Breakfast offers a great way to get a head start on your daily fiber intake. Both children and adults can obtain healthy amounts of fiber from a breakfast that contains cereal and fruit. For example, 1 cup of oat bran contains 5.2 grams of fiber. Add a cup of raspberries on the side for an additional 8 grams of fiber. Many hot and cold breakfast cereals contain high amounts of fiber. Just 1 cup of cooked oatmeal gives you 4 grams of fiber, while ¾ of a cup of bran flakes cereal contains 5.3 grams of fiber. Try adding a sliced banana to either cereal for an additional 3.1 grams of fiber.
Lunch
You can make sandwiches for yourself or your children on fiber-rich breads such as whole-wheat, multi-grain and rye. Two slices has 3.8 grams of fiber. A fruit-and-nut salad makes for another high-fiber lunch. Start with fresh, leafy greens and add a variety of fruits, berries, nuts and seeds. A medium-sized sliced pear (with the skin still on) contains 5.5 grams of fiber. One orange contains 3.1 grams of fiber, and you'll obtain 3.8 grams of fiber from adding 1 1/4 cups of halved strawberries. Try topping the fruits with 1 oz. of pecans or a quarter-cup of sunflower-seed kernels for an additional 2.7 or 3.9 grams of fiber, respectively.
Dinner
For dinner, try a hot rice-and-veggies dish. One cup of cooked brown rice contains 3.5 grams of fiber. Add an assortment of vegetables, beans and legumes for additional fiber and flavor. One cup of cooked peas contains 8.8 grams of fiber, while 1 cup of boiled broccoli contains 5.1 grams of fiber, 1 cup of cooked lentils contains 15.6 grams of fiber and 1 cup of cooked black beans contains 15 grams of fiber. You can also make a bean soup for a fiber-boosting dinner. Other fiber-rich beans that you may want to try include lima beans and vegetarian baked beans. If your child doesn't like cooked vegetables or beans, include carrot or apple slices, a handful of nuts or a slice of whole grain bread with his evening meals.
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