Affordable Healthcare Series- Fiber

FIBER 

THE WORKS.  Fiber is also known as roughage.  It is the indigestible part of plant foods that pushes through our digestive tract.  Fiber absorbs water along the way and greatly eases bowel movements.  This insoluble fiber can reduce the risk of developing constipation, colitis, hemorrhoids and potentially colon cancers.  Consumption of soluble fiber has also shown to protect from heart disease.  Another great benefit from the increase of dietary fiber is that it can significantly contribute to your body weight control.  Fiber can help treat or prevent conditions of obesity by filling you up without adding calories because the body does not absorb the calories from fiber.  However, do not eat too much fiber!  A massive consumption of fiber for the sake of better health can work against you.  Too much fiber will not allow your body to absorb all the other vital nutrients you eat because it will all pass through too quickly!  It could make you overly gassy.  You could fail miserably at “letting one slide.”  In other words, you may crap yourself entirely; and you know this will only occur while you’re out in public, in line at a coffee house or the grocery store or an ATM; and especially while sitting in traffic!  The Institute of Medicine recommends 30-38 grams of fiber daily for men, and 21-25 grams for women.  To easily get your recommended DRI, grow these:

Sweet Potatoes 200 grams per cup

Peas and Lentils 16 grams per cup

Black Beans 15 grams per cup

Broccoli 5 grams per cup

Honorable mention:  Avocados!  The avocado contains 7 grams of fiber per half a fruit, eaten raw.

Bottom Line: Happy bowels, weight control, and cholesterol levels.