It came as no surprise to me to read that the more colorful the food on your plate, the more nutritious it would be, that is, if the foods are fruits and vegetables (nope, sorry, Skittles don't count). Fruits and veggies are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. I've always taken everyone else's word for it, but I think it's time that I understand each of those things and the effects they have on my body. I've always been a bottom-liner kind of person...just tell me what I need to do (and I might do it)...but I have a feeling that the change within will only come easier if I educate myself. Today, I am going to focus on fiber. What I Know About Fiber: It makes you full and it makes you poop. (I know...I don't know much.)
What I Learned About Fiber: Fiber isn't digested by your body, but rather it passes through relatively intact. (Picture that one! Or not.) It's found mainly in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes (a seed, pod, or other edible part of a leguminous plant used as food). The Mayo Clinic explains the two types of fiber and what they do for our bodies:
- Insoluble fiber. This type of fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.
- Soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium (a leafy-stemmed Eurasian plantain, the seeds of which are used as a laxative and as a bulking agent in the treatment of obesity).
Okay...so the bottom line is a high-fiber diet can normalize bowel movements (makes 'em bigger and softer...easier to pass), helps maintain bowel integrity and health (let's just say you probably won't need Preparation H), lowers blood cholesterol levels, helps control blood sugar levels (slows the absorption of sugar), and aids in weight loss (makes you feel fuller longer and is energy dense which means they have fewer calories for the same amounts of food).
So does this mean if I drink that Benefiber stuff, I will look like the girl on the commercial? Or is that just good advertising? I don't know, but it's been several weeks now that I have been trying to incorporate more fiber in my diet and all I know is I haven't felt this good in almost ten years!
How much fiber should we be eating? The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine reports that men under 50 years old should have 38g of fiber each day, and women under 50 years old should have 25g each day. But, we need to be eating a variety of fiber-rich foods since the two different types of fiber do different things for our bodies. (Do I sound smart yet?)
So what should I eat? (So glad you asked!) Here are some examples of foods high in insoluble fiber (remember...these are the ones that will help you poop well):
- Apples
- Apricots
- Arugula
- Beans
- Bell peppers
- Berries
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cherries
- Collard greens
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Dates
- Eggplant
- Garlic
- Granola
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Green beans
- Greens
- Herbs (fresh)
- Kale
- Leeks
- Lemons
- Lentils
- Lettuce
- Limes
- Melons
- Mesclun (a salad made with lettuce and other edible leaves such as dandelion greens, mustard greens, and radicchio)
- Muesli
- Nectarines
- Nuts
- Onions
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Pears
- Peas (any kind in the pod)
- Pineapple
- Popcorn
- Prunes
- Raisins
- Scallions
- Rhubarb
- Seeds
- Shallots
- Spinach
- Sprouts
- Tomatoes
- Watercress
- Wheat bran
- Whole wheat breads, cereals, and flour
- Whole grains
- Whole grain breads and cereals
These are some foods high in soluble fiber (the ones that will help your cholesterol and glucose levels):
- Applesauce
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Barley
- Beets
- Carrots
- Chestnuts
- Corn meal
- Flour tortillas
- Fresh white breads (French, sourdough, etc.)
- Mangoes
- Mushrooms
- Noodles
- Oatmeal
- Papayas
- Parsnips
- Pasta
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Rice cereals
- Rutabagas
- Soy
- Squash
- Sweet potatoes (these have the white flesh)
- Turnips
- Yams (these have the orange flesh)
I'm no expert, and I am sure that there are more foods that fit into each category, but I think this is a pretty good start.
One more thing...you can't eat all of these foods in unlimited amounts (I guess that's true for any food). We know that some items (such as the breads and other starches) have higher calorie counts, so it's always good to continue to be aware of the amount of calories you are taking in each day, whether you're trying to lose weight or not. I use "My Plate" on www.livestrong.com. It's a great, free tool for tracking your daily food intake, daily exercise, and weight.
