The Fiber Choice

Your grandparents probably turned to eating prunes and bran flake breakfast cereals to keep their bowl movements regular. Or worse still, they might have only turned to what they considered their limited choices in fiber when they found themselves irregular. Thankfully, gone are the days when the notion of eating fiber was considered a grueling ( and often just temporary) necessity to combat the awful effects of constipation. Of course we now know that fiber needs to be an important part of everyone’s daily diet. After all who wants to get constipated, ever? More importantly, we now know about the great health benefits of a high fiber diet. For starters, eating fiber keeps blood sugar levels in check and helps prevent chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and even certain cancers. A high fiber diet is also a great way to help lose fat.

Despite our current knowledge about the importance of a daily, high fiber diet, more than a few studies have concluded that the average American consumes only about 14-16 grams a day. The recommended amount is 25 to 35 grams. Well this situation can be easily rectified with just a little bit of education; specifically on the many tasty foods so readily available that are chock full of wonderful fiber. They include a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole unprocessed grains found in a multitude of cereals, pastas and certain breads.

BodyBast Personal Trainers and Health Professionals most often recommend the following choices for taste and variety:

Apples with their skin on offer twice the amount of fiber as other popular fruits like grapes, peaches and grapefruits. One apple with skin provides 3.5 grams of fiber; without the skin the fiber level drops to 1.7 grams. Apples are also a terrific way of way of keeping your cholesterol level in check, according to The American Dietetic Association. Another easy choice is the artichoke, each with 10 grams of fiber along with more potassium than a banana.

Next comes the avocado, truly a super fiber food, offering between 11 and 17 grams with each full serving. And never mind the overly publicized fat argument - “most of the fat in avocados is monounsaturated fat, the same heart healthy fat found in olive oil and macadamia nut oil,” according to Jonny Bowden, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. A half cup of cooked barley contains four grams of fiber and only 195 calories, plus it helps to keep blood sugar levels down while it fills you up for several hours.

Another fine, extremely healthy vegetable is broccoli. While carrying only a little more than 2 grams of fiber in a one cup serving, it also contains 2 grams of protein, a great deal of potassium and calcium all while offering some super disease fighting elements that help reduce the risks of breast and cervical cancers.

Oatmeal and other high fiber breakfast cereals boast anywhere from 5 to 8 grams of solulable dietary fiber per bowl. Experts caution to be sure that the first ingredient on the label reads “whole”, meaning all three layers of the grain are intact. Whole grains offer more fiber than enriched flour, which is often used in instant oatmeal for example.

Of course all berries make a great topping for cereal for their sweet taste alone, but in fact, most berries, especially raspberries help fight diseases like cancer and arthritis while providing a good amount of fiber - about 8 grams in a cup of raspberries.

Then there is the papaya with 2.5 grams of fiber per cup along with fine doses of potassium, calcium and vitamins C and A.

Finally, pumpkins aren’t just for Halloween decorating and Thanksgiving pies. It is in fact a healthy vegetable side dish with 2.5 grams of fiber in a serving.
So there you have it - a simple guide to healthy eating and regularity. Bon-appetit!