Fiber: This New Year, Keep It In Your Diet!

You’ve probably heard ad nauseum the importance of dietary fiber. It’s common knowledge a diet rich in fiber can keep you regular, but did you know there are many diseases common to older folks that can be prevented by eating the proper amount of fiber in your younger years?

There’s insoluble fiber (does not dissolve in water) and soluble (does dissolve); both carry their own benefits, are found in separate foods, and together make up “dietary fiber.”

Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran, and some fruits and vegetables (i.e. bananas, cauliflowers, etc.). By not dissolving in water, it draws water to itself; this is how it helps treat constipation. In fact, that’s insoluble fiber’s major benefit. Of course, for it to work most effectively it must be consumed with a sufficient amount of water.

Soluble fiber is also found in some fruits and vegetables (i.e. plums, apples, broccoli, carrots, etc.), as well as oat, rye and barley. Another tasty source is the legume family of foods: peas and soybeans, for example. The benefits of this type of fiber can be life-saving! One’s risk of developing coronary artery disease (plaque build-up in the heart’s blood supply, leading to angina and possibly heart attacks) is reduced by 40 to 50 percent with proper fiber intake, as is the risk of stroke. It can also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and if you already have this illness, it can help control your blood sugar.

Due to dietary fiber’s bulking nature, one can feel fuller after having it in a meal than they would with an equal amount of a different food type. Reducing appetite is very helpful while trying to shed unwanted pounds. This bulking nature can also keep the walls of the intestines strong, preventing diverticulosis as you age, where small pockets pouch out of the GI tract. Oftentimes these small pockets will bleed and cause anemia, and they can also get infected (diverticulitis) causing pain and requiring antibiotics, sometimes even hospitalization.

It’s dietary fiber’s bulking nature that leads to its only real “side effect” – increased bloating and gas. Like most side effects, with time this will often pass (pun intended). And if you do experience bloating and/or gas, you can simply start small: instead of consuming the recommended amount right away, add a little bit more day by day until you get there.

So now you’re asking: How much fiber do I need for these benefits? Most scientific and government agencies recommend between 20 to 35 grams per day. Food labels generally tell you fiber content – you’ll find breakfast cereals to be among the richest sources out there. For foods without labels – fruits, beans, vegetables – one can find multiple tables online. Generally, as I’ve said before, websites by government agencies and medical associations will likely have the most accurate numbers.

Fifty percent of North Americans do not consume enough fiber to receive its multiple benefits. That makes a big difference in the amount of time and money spent on healthcare. Even if you don’t like the foods that deliver a good amount of fiber, there are supplements you can take to ensure you still get enough each day:  psyllium, methylcellulose, wheat dextrin, and calcium polycarbophil. These are all easily available no matter where in the country you live. It’s important to remember when thinking about the benefits: heart disease and stroke are the number one and three leading causes of death in America, respectively, and diabetes is one of their top risk factors.

So this January, whether you’re working off the holiday desserts or, make sure you keep fiber a staple of your diet.