Fiber offers all kinds of nutritional benefits. Yet 9 out of every 10 Americans don't eat enough of it.1 Do you? Read below to find out and calculate your Fiber IQ.
The 411 on Fiber
Everyone knows fiber can help you stay regular, but that's just the beginning.
Fiber can also help:2,3,4
Promote heart health
Manage blood glucose levels in people with diabetes
Maintain a healthy digestive system
Assist with weight management goals
Weight a Minute...
Let's talk about that last one. When people focus on weight management, they usually only think about calories and fat. But what about fiber? It should be the real star of your diet. Diets high in fiber may aid weight loss.5 That's because foods that are high in fiber take longer to digest and may help you feel full. High-fiber foods also provide bulk, which may help you feel satisfied.
So where can you find this super-food?
Fiber is found in foods that come from plants, such as wheat bran cereals like Kellogg's® All-Bran® cereal. Other foods high in fiber include whole-wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, barley, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables.
2Institute of Medicine, National Academies of Sciences, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrates, Fiber, Fat, Protein and Amino Acids. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC 2002.
33Peters U, Sinha R, Chatterjee N, et al. Dietary fibre and colorectal adenoma in a colorectal cancer study detection programme. Lancet 2003;361:1491-5.
44Bingham SA, Day NE, Luben R, et al. Dietary fibre in food and protection against colorectal cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC): an observational study. Lancet 2003;361:1496-501.
55Many factors affect weight management. Diet and exercise are part of an overall healthy lifestyle.