Fiber comes from a portion of plants that is not digested by enzymes in the intestinal tract. Fiber slows the passage of food through the digestive system, helping to elongate the feeling of satiety (fullness). The many benefits of a diet high in fiber include prevention and treatment of constipation, hemorrhoids and, diverticulosis, helping to lower cholesterol levels and weight loss. Current recommendations according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is 14 grams (g) of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed.
Whole Wheat and Oats
Foods rich in fiber only come from plant foods. Whole wheat and oat products contain a relatively large amount of fiber per serving. The list of whole wheat and oat products is long, but includes whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bagels, oatmeal, and oat bran. Check the ingredients list on the nutrition label; it should read either "whole wheat" or "cracked wheat." "Enriched flour" or "wheat flour" are processed foods and have lower fiber content.
Fruits
Fruits are another great source for fiber-rich foods. Eating fruit with the skin is always going to increase the fiber content as the bulk of the fiber is in the skin. However, some fruits typically are not eaten with the skin, like oranges and bananas. In these situations, peeling as close to the skin as possible leaves the greatest amount of fiber. Fruits with large amounts of fiber include apples (3.3g of fiber), bananas (3.1g), blackberries (7.6g), dates (3.3g), oranges (3.1g), pears (5.1g), dried prunes (3g), raisins (5.4g), and strawberries (3.3g).
Vegtables
Vegetables are of course another great source of fiber. Vegetables rich in fiber include plain canned baked beans (10.4g of fiber), cooked green beans (4g), raw carrots (3.1g), cooked yellow corn (3.9g), cooked lentils (15.6g), boiled peas (4.5g), split peas (16.3g), sweet potato cooked without the skin (3.9g) and cooked winter squash (5.7g).
Member Comments