I started talking to you about fiber in my last column.  Today I will continue our discussion.  As you remember, there are 2 main categories of fiber, soluble and insoluble.  Fermentation of fiber is also an important factor for proper digestive health, feeding the good gut flora and making short-chained fatty acids.  There are so many different things to remember about fiber, but mostly you want to know why it’s important for you, and what it’s good for.

·         Digestive Health: Mostly we think of fiber as helping with constipation.  This is true, but having constipation can lead to many other things like toxin overload, chronic diseases, cancer, hemorrhoids, IBS, diverticulosis, and the list goes on and on.  Some fibers can increase the beneficial gut flora while decreasing harmful bacteria.  It can also increase healthy colon cell growth while arresting growth of abnormal cells and decrease inflammation.

·         Cardiovascular Disease: I’m sure you recognized the touted oats and barley as cholesterol lowering foods.  Soluble fiber also plays a role in lessening the thickness of the interior arterial walls too, diminishing the chances of blockages or constriction related to heart attacks and strokes.  This can also help reduce blood pressure when having at least 25 grams of fiber a day according to a large French study.   

·         Diabetes: There is evidence that eating fiber with food will slow the absorption of carbohydrates in foods thus lowering the rise in blood sugar and insulin response.  It will also improve insulin sensitivity in cells. Two large studies showed consuming at least 8 grams of fiber a day from whole grains had about a 30% lower risk of diabetes compared to those only having 3 grams per day.  The effect of fiber on increasing gut flora also plays a part in supporting the pancreatic function related to diabetes also.

·         Healthy Weight:  High-fiber foods take longer to eat, making you chew slower, and they digest slower so you will be more sensitive to the feeling of being full.  The food leaves the stomach slower also helping you feel full longer and hence eating less and less frequently.  Looking back at the high fiber containing foods, you see that most are low in sugar and calories making it a natural part of attaining or maintaining a health weight.  Here’s a great benefit:  some fibers signal enzymes that slow fat production and increase fat breakdown, and they may stimulate an increase of gut hormones that help regulate satiety, appetite and metabolism.  That’s music to my ears!  

·         Improve General Health:  A study from the Netherlands reported that, for every 10 additional grams of daily dietary fiber intake (the amount in about 2¢ of vegetables or ¾ C. of beans), participants’ all-cause mortality declined 9%!  That’s huge, regardless of how you look at it. 

Adding more fiber to your diet can be frustrating if you don’t add a little bit at a time.  The increased fiber can cause bloating and gas if added too quickly or without adding water too.  US Guidelines recommend at least 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories consumed.  Americans typically eat less than half of that.  People with diabetes should eat even more fiber.  There is an average of 6 gram of fiber per ½ C. serving of beans or lentils, 2.5 grams in each serving of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts.  Food manufactures add isolated fibers, but research has not shown them to be as effective as a whole food source.

As you read the above benefits of fiber, you must remember that fiber in nature comes with all the synergistic nutrients in the whole foods itself.  It’s hard to just look at fiber alone as the carrier of all these benefits.  You may want to supplement your diet with fiber.  This is fine as long as it is from a whole foods source.  There is also a Prebiotic Inulin available as a soluble fiber source. 

I encourage each of you to look at the food you eat.  With summer approaching, it is the best time for fresh vegetables from the local Farmer’s Market to start getting that added fiber for a healthier you!