|
||||
| Lopez Island | Orcas Island | Visitor's Guide | ||
                        |
||
| Email this page to a friend | ||
| |||||||||||||||||
COLUMN BY SUSAN HILL |
|
Extremes at Both Ends - Anorexia and Bulimia to Obesity Making sense of Cholesterol's ABCs |
What About Fiber?
posted 04/07/2008 The typical American diet is high in fast and processed foods-white flour and breads, pasta, burgers, fries, chips, snack foods, sodas and sweets. There are less than 15 grams of fiber per day in this type diet. A high fiber diet is rich with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds and nuts, and contains more than 30 grams of fiber per day. Why is this difference important to our bodies? | |
|
A low fiber diet has been linked with constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, diverticulitis and increased risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. Diets high in fiber help control blood sugar in diabetics and may also help protect against colon and breast cancers. A person eating a high fiber diet has a shorter transit time from eating to elimination. The stool has a higher water content, is softer and passes easily. Why does this matter? When you eat a meal high in fiber, it makes you feel fuller so you eat less high fat and high calorie foods. Fiber takes longer to digest so it keeps you feeling satisfied longer yet passes through the intestines more quickly so there is less time to absorb calories. Slimmer people tend to eat a high fiber diet and those who eat a low fiber diet are often over weight. Most fiber is insoluble, which means it doesn't break down much in the gut and passes through mostly intact. Some fiber, like that in peas, beans, and oatmeal is soluble and much has been made of oatmeal's health benefits, particularly in preventing heart disease. One serving of oatmeal has 4 grams of fiber, half of it soluble. Compare a serving of corn flakes (0.5 grams fiber) with Cheerios (3 grams of fiber) and bran flakes (5 grams). A slice of white bread has 1 gram of fiber, whole wheat bread has 2 grams and bread with whole grains and oats has 3 grams per slice. Cheese, milk, eggs, meat, fish and poultry have no fiber. Most people think salad is a good source of fiber. You will notice that lettuce is not a high fiber food. Salads are tasty but also choose cooked greens, broccoli, peas and squash. Fiber is not destroyed during cooking. Among fruits, it is the skin and seeds that add the most fiber so don't peel you apples or pears, and eat lots of berries. For most of us, it is best to get fiber from the foods in our diet rather than through a supplement but sometimes a fiber supplement makes sense, especially in elderly persons who may have limited food intake. To prevent constipation, fiber supplements like Citrucel are safe and effective when taken daily. If the dose is started small and increased slowly, it is tolerated better. Here is an easy recipe for granola that is tasty, high in fiber and a great way to start your day! Simple Granola
|
WHERE'S THE FIBER? All Bran (3/4 cup) ... 13 gm. Bran flakes (3/4cup)... 5 gm. Oatmeal (1 cup)... 4 gm. Cheerios (1 cup)... 3 gm. Wheat bread (1 slice)... 2 gm. Oat & grain bread... 3 gm. Rye Crisp (2)... 3 gm. Beans/legumes (1/2 cup) ... 6-8 gm. Apple with skin... 3 gm. Banana...3 gm. Pear with skin... 5 gm. Orange... 3 gm. Strawberry/blueberry...3 gm. Blackberry/raspberry... 7-8 gm. Potato with skin... 4 gm. Carrot (1 medium)... 2 gm. Corn (1/2 cup)... 2 gm. Broccoli (1 cup cooked)...5 gm. Greens (1/2 cup cooked)... 2-3 gm. Peas (1/2 cup)...4 gm. Squash (1/2 cup yellow)...2 gm. Sunflower seed (1 oz.)...2 gm. Popcorn (3 cups)...4 gm. Peanuts (1 oz.)... 2 gm. Almonds (15)... 2 gm. Walnuts (14 halves)... 2 gm. ********** What's Your Fiber Tally? | |
|
In a large bowl, mix the grains, almonds and salt. In a glass cup or bowl, mix the honey and oil and microwave briefly just to heat (don't let it boil!) You may also do this step in a pan on the stove top. After heating, stir the honey-oil mixture well with a fork, add the vanilla and stir. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well. Spread into a large baking pan. Bake in 325 degree oven, stirring every 15 minutes until golden, about an hour. Remove from oven. Stir in the raisins and cool thoroughly. Store in an airtight container. Makes 12 cups. ½ cup serving granola = 345 calories and 8 grams of fiber! Enjoy your granola with ½ cup 1 percent milk for total of 400 calories. Or with ½ cup nonfat yogurt for total of 450 calories. Note: If desired, ½ cup flax meal and ½ cup sunflower seeds may be added to above recipe. This increases the fiber to 9 grams per ½ cup serving and calories to 365 calories per serving. Susan C. Hill © 2008 To comment on the column, email susan@sanjuanislander.com |
||
|
SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2008 |
||
