High Fiber Foods Are of Benefit to Health

Added: 11/07/2005

Fiber-rich diet is of great benefit to health. It helps to prevent various diseases and disorders, such as diabetes, heart disease and colorectal cancer. Also, fiber has a positive effect on the digestive system. There is a clear correlation between these diseases and a fiber quantity in one's nutrition. Moreover, most of them are preventable by means of high-fiber diet.

Research showed that a rate of colon cancer is low in the regions, where the consumption of high fiber foods is regular. In Africa, Asia and Latin America the incidence is due to the diets, based on plant foods. And vice versa, in the parts of the world where people consume more meat, processed foods and sugar, the cases of colon cancer are frequent. Europe, Canada and Australia are the regions of high colon cancer rates. The United States have the worst situation and lead in the number of colon cancer events.

The American Dietetic Association recommends consuming 20-35g of fiber a day, while the average intake for Americans is 15-20g. The consumption of fiber in the regions with low incidence of colon cancer is 60-80g a day. High fiber diets are believed to eliminate the carcinogens, weakening their negative effect.

People, who have moved from the places with low rate of colon cancer to those with its higher rate, face the higher rate of colorectal cancer as well.

Taking into consideration these facts, one must not underestimate the importance of high fiber diets. There is no need to add expensive dietary supplements in order to put more fiber in a diet.

A lot of foods contain amount of fiber that is sufficient for lowering the cholesterol and prevention of heart disease. High-fiber product means it contains more than 5g of fiber. The good source of fiber contains 2.5-4.9 g per serving. High fiber foods are apples, oranges, pears, figs, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries.

Such vegetables as potatoes, lettuce, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli are also rich in fiber. That is why it is good to eat different fruits and vegetables at least five times a day. One should eat more whole-grain breads and cereals instead of a white bread and brown rice instead of traditional white one. Muffins, oatmeal, popcorn and cereals contain much of whole-grain.

Fat-rich food is usually poor of fiber and high fiber foods are low in fat.

The list of high fiber foods includes: legumes (dried beans, peas, baked beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, green beans), dried fruit (apricots, dates, figs), fruits (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, plums, cherries, apples, kiwi fruit, bananas), vegetables (beet root, baked potato with skin, carrot, sweet corn), nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts), oats, buckwheat, cornmeal, coconut.

One should increase the intake of fiber gradually in order to prevent digestive problems, while the water consumption must be increased to 6-8 glasses a day. It is also important to variegate the fiber rich products.

Such products as meat, eggs and milk do not contain fiber. The way you cook the meal does also matter. Frozen vegetables and fruits contain as much fiber as the raw ones. The removal of peels and seeds can reduce the fiber content. Peeled tomatoes have less fiber than not peeled ones.

The sufficient intake of fiber for 4-8 year children is 25g per day, for males aged 19-50 - 38g and for females aged 19-50 - 25g.

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