Fiber Up Your Diet

Overview

Fiber is the tough part of plant foods that cannot be digested and absorbed. Although fiber cannot be absorbed into your bloodstream, it is very important to your health. The work is initiated in your digestive tract, but has wide ranging impact on your total health, including bowel health, prevention of constipation, heart health, cholesterol, blood sugar, hunger and satiety, weight management and much more.

Types of Fiber

There are two basic types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber can be dissolved in water to form a gel, while insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. Soluble fiber binds waste in the gut, holding it together as a soft mass, while insoluble fiber helps to stimulate the action of the intestines to push the waste along, into the colon and out.

How Much Fiber Do You Need?

The recommended intake of fiber is 25 grams daily for women and 35 grams for men. Unfortunately, many people in the US are not getting nearly enough. This is the result of eating large amounts of highly processed foods from which the fiber has been removed. 

Food Sources of Fiber

You need to eat a variety of plant foods to get the recommended intake of fiber. Keep in mind that number of servings, portion sizes, method of preparation, waste (such as peeling fruit), and straining (as in making juice), will determine  the actual amount of fiber that you get each day. As a general rule, you should choose foods as close to their natural state as possible and eat less of those with added sugars or made from refined, white flour products. Here is a short list of moderate to high fiber foods that you can choose from.

• Whole grain breads and cereals
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Dried beans or peas
• Nuts and seeds

Mix It Up

You can mix and match foods to get the fiber you need. Keep in mind that while fruits are naturally high in fiber, fruit juice is not, as the fiber is removed in juicing. So, go for the whole fruit. Also, remember to drink plenty of water. 

Summary

Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, dried beans, peas, nuts and seeds will help you to get the fiber you need for total health.

What Parents Need to Know About Sodas and Childhood Obesity

Sadly, sodas and other sugary drinks have become the beverage of choice among America's children, as indicated in a USDA report. This report, based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1988-94, shows that the daily soft drink intake of children between the ages of 14 and 18 was almost 4 times more than milk intake (0.7 servings of milk versus 2.7 servings of soda). Younger children were also consuming more soft drink than milk. 

And in a study reported by Harvard University School of Public Health (February 2001), soft drinks were listed as the leading source of added sugars in the diet of children. Researchers also found that the odds of becoming obese increased 1.6 times for each additional can or glass of sugar-sweetened soda that kids drank.

There is compelling evidence to show that children who drink large amounts of soda daily are prone to become overweight or obese. That is why it is important for you to pay attention to what your child is drinking and take steps to reduce his or her intake of sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages to less than one serving per day - down to zero. Offer more milk, water and a limited amount of 100% fruit juice instead.

Copyright 2010 Dorene E. Carter, PhD, RD. All rights reserved. Copying or reprinting the information on this page without written permission of the author is strictly prohibited.

The information provided herein is for education and information services only and is not intended as a substitute for proper, personalized medical attention. 

Feed Your Child Right: Wholesome and Nutritious Fluids for Kids

If you are the parent of a young child, chances are you are constantly struggling with the question of what to feed your child. One reason for this struggle is the powerful influence of television in molding children's eating behaviors, as I mentioned in a previous blog. In fact, just yesterday, a student in one of my nutrition workshops mentioned that his parents bought a commercial drink instead of sodas because that drink was advertised on TV as being better than soda. 

Don't fall for such empty arguments. A sugar-sweetened drink that is made from artificial coloring and artificial flavors, even if it contains a little less calories, does nothing for your child's health and may contribute to unhealthy weight gain the same way soda does.

Your child deserves the chance for a healthy future and you can help to make that happen by offering water and nutritious, succulent fruits or real fruit juice instead of cheap sodas and artificial drinks. 

It may take some time to wean your child off of the sugary drinks he has gotten used to, but it can be done. Here are a few helpful suggestions to get your child on the right track:

• Encourage your child to drink a cool glass of water when he is thirsty
• Buy real (100%) fruit juice instead artificially flavored and colored drinks
• Look out for words like punch and juice drink on food labels, as these words suggest that the drink contains little or no real fruit juice
• Limit the amount of fruit juice to about 1 cup per day, since the amount of sugar in these drinks could be as high as other drinks
• Offer your child a serving of succulent fruits like watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon and mango as an alternative to fruit juice.
• Don't overlook the value of milk as a nutritious beverage that not only helps to meet your child's fluid needs but can help to meet your child's need for protein, vitamins and minerals as well.

Copyright 2010 Dorene E. Carter, PhD, RD. All rights reserved. Copying or reprinting the information on this page without written permission of the author is strictly prohibited.

The information provided herein is for education and information services only and is not intended as a substitute for proper, personalized medical attention.