Your grandmother may have called fiber "roughage" or "bulk." But no matter the term, it's important to get enough of the undigestible parts of plants that your body can't absorb. As fiber passes through your body, it offers many benefits, from lowering cholesterol to promoting bowel health. Look for fiber in whole grains, legumes, nuts, and fruits and vegetables.
Fiber Benefits
A high-fiber diet has many benefits, according to the Mayo Clinic. It increases the weight of your stool and softens it, making you less likely to get constipated. Fiber found in such foods as beans and oats can help lower total blood cholesterol and sugar levels. High-fiber meals digest more slowly, making you feel full longer, which means you may not reach for a snack. Foods packed with fiber generally have fewer calories than processed, low-fiber foods.
Daily Requirements
The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine recommends the following daily amount of fiber for adults: Men 50 and younger should consume 38 grams a day, while women need 25 g. Men 51 and older should get 30 g, and women need to eat 21 g of fiber. Children ages 1 to 3 need 19 g daily, while those 4 to 8 should consume 25 g, according to registered dietician Emily Fonnesbeck. Boys ages 9 to 13 need 31 g, while girls should get 26 g. Teens should follow the requirements for men and women.
Types of Fiber
There are two kinds of fiber. Insoluble fiber helps move food through your digestive system, bulking up the stool. This can help those with constipation or irregularity. Whole wheat flour and wheat bran are good sources of insoluble fiber, along with vegetables. As its name suggests, soluble fiber dissolves in water and can help lower glucose and cholesterol. Look for this kind of fiber in peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, barley, oats and psylium.
High-Fiber Foods
Refined grains, canned fruits and many processed snack foods won't put much of a dent into your daily fiber requirement. Here are some high-fiber foods that can help, according to the Mayo Clinic: 1 cup of raspberries, 8 g; medium apple with skin, 4.4 g; 1 cup of whole wheat spaghetti, 6.2 g; 3/4 cup of bran flakes, 5.3 g; 1 cup of cooked black beans, 15 g; and 1 oz. of almonds, 3.5 g.
References
- Mayo Clinic; Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet; Mayo Clinic staff;
- Super Kids Nutrition; How Much Fiber Does My Child Need?; Emily Fonnesbeck, R.D.
- University of California San Francisco Medical Center; Increasing Fiber Intake; February 2011
- Mayo Clinic; High-Fiber Foods; Mayo Clinic staff
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