February 8th, 2009

Fiber Facts:
Do you wish there was something that could help fight off disease and keep you from overeating?  Well surprise, you have probably heard of it already.  You eat it everyday.  Its fiber…most Americans consume between 12-18 grams of dietary fiber per day, when the recommended amount is 20-35 grams per day.
          
Dietary fibers are found in the walls of plant cells.  It does not offer nutrients or calories but has many important biological functions.  There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble.  Soluble fiber dissolves in water while insoluble does not.  Some foods contain both soluble and insoluble fiber while others contain one or the other.  You want to be sure to get your recommended amount of fiber from both.

You can find soluble fibers in:
Fruits - apples, strawberries, oranges, bananas, pears, and nectarines.
Vegetables – Sweet potatoes, corn, cauliflower, and carrots.
Rye
Seeds
Dries beans and peas
Oat bran
Barley
Brown rice
Oats
You can find insoluble fibers in:
Wheat bran
Fruit
Vegetables – Potatoes with skin, parsnips, green beans, and broccoli.
Corn bran
Whole wheat
 
 
Fiber aids in digestive health, cancers, weight loss, diabetes, heart disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.  Fiber reduces the risk of obesity by increasing the feeling of fullness and it passes through the intestines more quickly so there is less time to absorb calories. Fiber also binds with cholesterol and carries it out of the body. 
 
It may seem difficult to think about getting an extra 15 grams of fiber in each day but it’s really quit simple.  Just switch white bread for whole wheat, white rice for brown rice, meat for beans, and have a whole grain cereal or oatmeal for breakfast.  They are little changes that will get big results. Exercise and proper fluid intake is important for the transportation of fiber through the digestive tract, so make sure you are getting 64 ounces of water a day and exercising 3-5 days per week. 
Here is a website that I found that lists a lot of food and the amount of fiber and calories that they have in them.
http://www.wehealny.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/fibercontentchart.html
 
Soft tacos with southwestern vegetables
Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

1 Medium red onion, chopped

1 Cup Diced yellow summer squash

1 Cup Diced green zucchini

3 Large garlic cloves, minced

4 Medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 Jalapeno chili, seeded and chopped

1 Cup Fresh corn kernels (cut from about 2 ears of corn) or 1 cup frozen corn

1 Cup Canned pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 Cup Chopped fresh cilantro

8 Corn tortillas

1/2 Cup Smoke-flavored salsa
Preparation:

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the summer squash and zucchini, and continue cooking until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, jalapeno, corn kernels and beans. Cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and remove from the heat.

Heat a dry, large frying pan (without a nonstick surface) over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla to the hot pan and heat until softened, about 20 seconds per side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

To serve, divide the tortillas among individual plates. Spread an equal amount of the vegetable mixture on each tortilla. Top each with 2 tablespoons of the salsa. Serve immediately.

Some other foods that you can purchase that contain fiber:

 

    * Fiber One Granola Bars (I like the Apple and Mocha)
    * Quaker High Fiber Oatmeal Bars or instant oatmeal
    * All Bran Crackers
    * Wheat Thins Fiber Select Crackers
    * Kellogg’s Fiber Plus Granola Bars
    * Quaker Fiber and Omega-3 Granola Bars
    * Kashi Cereal Products (I like the Go Lean Crunch)
    * Naturally More Peanut Butter
    * Tostitos Multi Grain Tortilla Chips

 

One thing to always remember when increasing your consumption of fiber is that you need to be aware of consistent physical activity for you don’t form sludge in your intestines.  Physical activity in addition to increased fiber will help to clear your intestines of any blockage.

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