Get More Fiber in Your Diet
Most Americans don’t get enough of this essential nutrient. :: BY VERA TWEED
F
iber, though essential, is sadly lacking in American diets. Just 5% of men and 9% of women are consuming
enough, according to an analysis by researchers at Texas Woman’s University in Denton. Studies have shown that dietary
fiber enhances the microorganisms in the digestive tract and provides a large variety of health benefits. These include lower blood
pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, improved regularity and immune function, and a lower risk for weight
gain, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, allergies, antibiotic resistance, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, and multiple myeloma, a blood cancer.
BOOSTERS Nicolette Pace, a registered dietitian nutritionist and leading health educator, recommends getting fiber as it occurs in nature, rather than from processed foods. During industrial food production,
fiber is extracted from certain foods and added to other foods to enhance texture and appearance, as well as increasing fiber content in products. Although this fiber comes from
foods, its properties change during industrial extraction. “Once we start manipulating that, it
disrupts it,” Pace says. “If you want to increase fiber, the best way to do it is to go with real stuff.” The real stuff includes vegetables
and a variety of whole grains cooked from scratch. Whole grains, such as traditional oats, teff, or amaranth, may take 20 or 30 minutes to cook; however, says Pace, you can cook a batch and keep it in the fridge.
RECOMMENDED AMOUNTS OF DAILY FIBER FOR ADULTS
Women ages 19-50 ....................... 25 g Men ages 19-50 ............................38 g Women age 51 and older ..............21 g Men age 51 and older ...................30 g
During the week, add a little to
salads, soups — even canned soups — and other foods. “You get the fiber right away and it’s real,” she says. Unprocessed powdered bran
is another option. Pace adds it to meatballs and meatloaf: one-quarter cup of bran powder per half-pound of meat.
HOW TO START Always increase fiber intake gradually, allowing your body to adjust, and drink plenty of water. If you experience discomfort,
cut back and go slow. Pace cautions not to consume much more than the recommended amount — see table below — because extremely large amounts of fiber can inhibit absorption of minerals from both food and supplements.
Where to Get Fiber All plant foods contain fiber, some more than others. These are some good fiber sources to include in your diet:
Bran cereals (check nutrition facts on label) ½ cup = 10-14 grams of fiber
Acorn squash (cooked) 1 cup = 9 grams of fiber
Blackberries or raspberries 1 cup = 8 grams of fiber
Split peas 1 cup = 8 grams of fiber
Lima, black, or pinto beans ½ cup = 7 grams of fiber
Garbanzo beans ½ cup = 6 grams of fiber
Black-eyed peas ½ cup = 6 grams of fiber
Grains: amaranth or teff ¼ cup = 6 grams of fiber
Brussels sprouts 1 cup = 6 grams of fiber
Turnip, mustard, or collard greens (cooked) 1 cup = 5 grams of fiber
Cauliflower or broccoli (cooked) 1 cup = 5 grams of fiber
Spinach, beet greens, or Swiss chard (cooked) 1 cup = 4 grams of fiber
Cabbage, green or red (cooked) 1 cup = 4 grams of fiber
Almonds (about 23 nuts) 1 ounce = 4 grams of fiber
Asparagus (chopped) 1 cup = 3 grams of fiber
Kale (cooked) 1 cup = 3 grams of fiber
Bell peppers (chopped, raw) 1 cup = 3 grams of fiber
Zucchini (cooked) 1 cup = 3 grams of fiber
NOVEMBER 2025 | NEWSMAX MAXLIFE 101
©ISTOCK
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