Sound the Fiber Alarm! Most of Us Need More of It in Our Diet

Did you forget fiber? Many people do this.

“We’ve known this forever, and it needs to be constantly rediscovered,” said Joan Slavin, a professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. “Fiber is really good medicine. It’s the only thing we want people to eat more of.”

For decades, this idea has been preached by nutritionists, printed in health magazines, and printed on the packaging of cereals, many other foods, and nutritional supplements.

However, studies show that many people in the United States lack the required amount of fiber. In one disturbing example, a 2017 analysis in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine concluded that 95% of adults and children do not consume the amount of fiber recommended for good health.

Fiber is a plant food material that is not broken down and passes through the body undigested. It is mainly found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and cereals. Why is it important? Let’s count the ways.

Fiber has been shown to help protect against heart disease, diabetes, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel syndrome, obesity, and colorectal cancer. Fiber can help detoxify the body, lower cholesterol, and promote weight loss because it helps people feel fuller while eating fewer calories.

But when people eat on the run, skimp on fruits and vegetables, and snack on processed foods, “they don’t have many good sources of fiber,” says Judith Wylie-Rosette, a professor at New York’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine. A city that specializes in the links between nutrition and disease. “The obesity epidemic is concrete evidence that we are not making the progress we need.”

“Some people suddenly decide to increase their fiber intake right away and get side effects like feeling gas and bloating,” she said. “So they stopped doing it.”

Instead, Slavin and Wylie-Rosette recommend gradual changes towards a more fiber-friendly diet. Here are some tips:

• Choose whole-grain bread, pasta and cereals, and brown rice.
• Eat fruits like apples and oranges instead of drinking juice. Berries with seeds such as strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, as well as avocados, are good sources of fiber.
• Include vegetables at every meal and include vegetables and legumes, especially beans, peas, and lentils, in your daily recipes. Then snack on nuts, fruit, and low-calorie popcorn.

Slavin has been giving out advice like this for years and watching people ignore it. “It’s hard to make fiber exciting,” she said. “As nutritionists, we prefer that you follow a proper diet and get your full servings of fruits and vegetables, but we also understand that the average person will not achieve this. Therefore, we must meet them where they are.”

“If you want cookies, eat oatmeal cookies,” she said. “For a real effect, you don’t need a lot of fiber. Everyone, even the fast-food industry, should be part of the solution. really important.”

News from the American Heart Association covers heart and brain health. Not all views expressed in this article represent the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is owned or owned by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. If you have questions or comments about this story, please email [email protected] Michael Preker