Fiber: Have you had your roughage today?

If you’re like most people, your diet could use a boost in fiber consumption. While the typical prune and bran muffins are good sources of fiber, there are other really good sources of fiber out there to be enjoyed.

Eating fiber in your daily diet does help protect the heart and, given that you aren’t committing other sins, like smoking, can have a substantially positive effect. Countries with the highest fiber consumption also tend to have the lowest rates of coronary heart disease. Two major Harvard health research studies-one in men and one in women, have proven that a high total dietary fiber intake was linked to a 40% reduction in risk of coronary heart disease, compared to those people who had a low fiber intake. That’s HUGE! Plant or cereal fiber, found in grains, was especially beneficial in lowering risk.

Sources of fiber

Your best sources for fiber include whole grain foods, fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and legumes. Here at the Heart Smart Gourmet, I recommend replacing ‘bleached out’ carbs with whole grain products. Dump the white rice, white bread and regular pasta and change over to brown rice and whole grain breads and pastas. Anything that is artificially white (bread, rice, pasta, sugar, flour, etc) as a result of processing (bleaching) should be totally wiped out of your diet. These processed, unnatural ‘white foods’ are a wasteland of nutritional emptiness and replacing them with whole-grain versions will result in actually getting some good from eating them instead of eating empty calories.

Two Kinds of Fiber

There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber and we need both in our daily diet.

Soluble fiber is "soluble" in water.  When mixed with water it forms a gel-like substance and swells.  Soluble fiber has many benefits, including moderating blood glucose levels and lowering cholesterol. .

Insoluble fiber does not absorb or dissolve in water.  It passes through our digestive system in close to its original form.  Insoluble fiber offers many benefits to intestinal health, including a reduction in the risk and occurrence of colorectal cancer, hemorrhoids, and constipation.


Sources of soluble fiber include; oatmeal, oat bran, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, dried peas, lentils, apples, pears and blueberries.

Sources of insoluble fibers include: whole wheat bread (I’m talking real whole-grain wheat bread, not that store-bought, air-filled crap), brown rice, whole grain breakfast cereals, wheat bran and couscous.

The following is a list of fiber foods and their fiber content in grams: (Click on each graph to enlarge)

 

How much fiber should you eat?

The American Dietetic Association recommends we eat between 20 and 35 grams of fiber each day from plant foods for heart health. The Mayo Clinic cardiologists recommend that women should eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day.

Fiber lowers cholesterol levels

How does fiber work at lowering your cholesterol? Your body does not have the ability to break down fiber, meaning it passes through your digestive system essentially unchanged. As fiber passes through your intestines it helps block the re-absorption of cholesterol, thereby lowering your blood cholesterol levels by 5-10%. This ability to lower cholesterol levels is the likely explanation as to why countries with the highest fiber intakes also have the lowest rates of coronary heart disease.

The bottom line

By eating 20-35 grams of fiber to your daily diet you can help reduce your risk of heart disease by about forty percent. Adding great tasting fiber to your diet can also regulate your blood glucose and cholesterol levels while reducing the risk and occurrence of colorectal cancer, hemorrhoids, and constipation.

So, now you know that getting your daily fiber boost is easier than you think; just focus on fresh fruits, nuts and whole grains and you will be on your way to lower cholesterol and a healthy heart.