Make great gains with whole grains
Fiber is found only in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables and grains. It is NOT found in animal products such as milk, cheese, fish, poultry or meat. It’s an important part of our daily diet because it helps keep us “regular” and prevents constipation.
Fiber also has been found to play a role in helping protect against certain diseases, including:
Lowering risk of colon cancer.
Reducing blood cholesterol, as well as LDL or “bad cholesterol” — a leading cause of heart disease.
Lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Improving diabetes control for existing type 1 and 2 diabetics.
Strengthening the immune system.
Current research indicates and most authorities agree that on average, Americans should eat more fiber than they are currently getting. Reports indicate that we are getting only about 13 grams per day.
How much fiber do you need? The Food and Drug Administration recommends that we get 11.5 grams of fiber per 1000 calories. Overall we should get 20 to 30 grams per day. People prone to chronic constipation should get closer to 35 grams per day, with more fluids, too.
More than 35 grams per day has not been shown to have any more benefit. In fact, more than 35 grams per day can prevent absorption of some minerals.
So how much fiber do you need? An easy rule of thumb for children ages 3 to 18 is to add five to their age in years. So if a child is 7, they need at least 12 grams of fiber each day. For adults, the range of fiber intake is 25 to 30 grams per day, with an “upper-limit” maximum of 35 grams per day.
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August 30th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
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