Everyone knows the health benefits of fiber intake, there's enough fiber supplements out there to show there's a market for it. The only problem is that the average American consumes just 5-15 grams of fiber daily. The 2005 Daily Recommended Intake for fiber is more then double those amounts. Insoluable fiber, which affects the digestive tract is more common than soluable, which benefits metabolic health.
A main benefit of a higher fiber intake for dieters is that it lowers the ability of fat gain. This is accomplished by fiber lowering the glycemic effect of a meal. The lower the glycemic index of a meal, the lower the insulin response to that meal. Controlling insulin is a key in dieting and losing body fat. Soluble fiber also benefits the dieter by holding water, which forms a gel improving fullness as it slows down digestion. Insoluble fiber's gastro-intestinal benefits include cancer fighting and regularity.
So how do you get more then 15g of fiber a day? Here’s a list of common foods and their fiber content:
Fiber Content of Various Foods
|
Food Type |
Serving Size |
Grams of Fiber |
| Whole grain bread |
1 slice |
2.9g |
| Rye Bread |
1 slice |
2.7g |
| Brown Rice |
1/2 Cup |
1.5g |
| Graham Crackers |
2 |
1.4g |
| Oats, Whole |
1/2 Cup Cooked |
1.4g |
| Kidney Beans |
1/2 Cup Cooked |
4.5g |
| Apple |
1 small |
3.9g |
| Strawberries |
1/2 Cup |
2.8g |
| Pear |
1 small |
2.5g |
| Banana |
1 medium |
1.3g |
| Peas |
1/2 Cup Cooked |
5.7g |
| Potato |
1 small |
3.8g |
| Brocolli |
1/2 Cup Cooked |
2.5g |
| Zucchini |
1/2 Cup Cooked |
2.5g |
So how much do you need in your diet to be on the ball? Experts recommend that the total fiber intake for adults 50 years and younger is set at 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women. Men and women over 50 years of age, the recommendation is 30 grams and 21 grams per day respectively.
Data taken from the National Academy of Sciences by the National Academics Press, Washington D.C. 2005 |
