| Fiber is the structural material of plants and is found in | | | | day, and the average North American gets only 11 |
| all fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and | | | | grams. There's very little fiber in the typical diet of |
| other seeds. It is a type of carbohydrate that your | | | | hamburgers, pizza, fried chicken and coke. Foods |
| body cannot break down, so you can't absorb it. There | | | | made from animal products never have any fiber, and |
| are two types: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber adds | | | | processed foods made from grains, vegetables or fruit |
| bulk to your stool and helps to prevent constipation. | | | | frequently have most of the fiber removed. Wheat |
| Soluble fiber binds to fat in the intestines and keeps | | | | berries, baked potatoes, apples and oranges contain |
| some fat from being absorbed.Insoluble fiber may help | | | | many times more fiber than bread, potato chips, apple |
| to prevent colon cancer by speeding cancer-causing | | | | jelly or orange juice.Don't worry about whether you |
| agents through the digestive system. It helps with | | | | are getting soluble or insoluble fiber; you need both |
| weight control because it binds to water, creating bulk | | | | kinds, and both are found in fruits, vegetables, whole |
| that makes you feel full. It can help control diabetes | | | | grains and beans. If you're not getting enough fiber, |
| because it slows the rate at which your body absorbs | | | | don't try to correct the situation by adding fiber |
| glucose.Soluble fiber has an added benefit. When you | | | | supplements, lots of bran cereal or foods made with |
| add more soluble fiber to your diet, it lowers blood | | | | added ground-up fiber. When you eat whole fruits, |
| levels of the plaque-forming LDL cholesterol. Soluble | | | | vegetables, whole grains and beans, you get all of the |
| fiber is degraded by bacteria in the colon to form | | | | vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals nature packages |
| types of fatty acids that are absorbed into the | | | | with the fiber. Introduce more high-fiber whole foods |
| bloodstream and help to block the synthesis of | | | | into your diet gradually to avoid digestive discomfort.Dr. |
| cholesterol by the liver. This is the only food | | | | Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 |
| component we know will lower blood cholesterol when | | | | years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; |
| you add more to your diet. However, people who | | | | he is board certified in four specialties, including sports |
| have high blood levels of cholesterol must do a lot | | | | medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and |
| more than just add soluble fiber to their diet. They also | | | | health reports at weekly newsletter on fitness, health, |
| should not smoke, not be overweight, and exercise | | | | and nutrition. |
| regularly.You should eat at least 30 grams of fiber per | | | | |