When you think of fiber, you probably imagine prunes and constipation relief, but many foods containing fiber improve more than bowel regularity. For example, insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve in water, balances stomach acidity and removes toxic wastes from the colon. Soluble fiber, which dissolves in water, binds with fatty acids, regulating blood sugar and lowering cholesterol. A diet high in fiber benefits more than just your stomach.
Whole-Grain Oats and Bran
Oatmeal, whole-grain pasta, bran cereal and whole-wheat bread all provide the benefits of cholesterol reduction with raisin bran cereal alone yielding 7.2g of insoluble fiber and 1.2g of soluble fiber per cup. Research in the February 2010 edition of "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" found that a diet of whole-grain, ready-to-eat oat cereal reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol", levels by as much as 8 percent for overweight adults. The study focused on the importance of bran fiber and how 3g a day affected health levels after 12 weeks, compared to a low-fiber meal with the same number of calories.
Vegetables
Most ½ cup servings of vegetables, like carrots, Brussels sprouts, squash and broccoli supply about 1.5g of soluble fiber and 1.5g of insoluble fiber. The exceptional vegetables include sweet potatoes (1.4g soluble; 2.4g insoluble), artichokes (4.7g soluble; 1.8g insoluble) and pumpkin (0.5g soluble; 3.1g insoluble). Salads also yield a good amount of fiber and, if left free of fatty toppings, they can help you reduce hunger and so you eat fewer calories during meals.
Fruits
Fruits, like oranges, peaches and bananas offer plenty of soluble fiber--about 2.5g--per fruit. Raspberries provide one of the highest sources of insoluble fiber with 3.8g per ½ cup serving, while blackberries provide the other extreme of soluble fiber with 3.1g. Make a smoothie of berries to improve regularity and help lower cholesterol levels and bring fruit with you to work. When you are hungry, fruit makes an excellent snack, supplying long-lasting fullness, in addition to fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Legumes
Beans, peas and lentils are all high sources of fiber, averaging about 6g of fiber per ½ cup serving, 65 percent of which is insoluble fiber. Legumes make a healthy side dish, balancing out saturated fatty acids from meats and other greasy meals.
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