Despite its popular association with trips to the restroom, fiber is no joke. The benefits of an efficient bowel aside, a high-fiber diet can also reduce the risk of stroke, hypertension, and heart disease. Unfortunately, fiber consumption is currently at an all-time low, with less than three percent of Americans meeting the recommended intake.
Fiber is something the body needs but never actually digests—in fact, it remains more or less the same from plate to toilet. It comes in two varieties, soluble and insoluble, and most plant-based foods contain a mixture of the two. Soluble fiber turns to gel in the stomach and slows digestion, which helps lower cholesterol and blood glucose. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, remains unchanged all the way to the colon, making waste heavier and softer so it can shimmy through the intestines more easily. Regardless of these differences, neither type of fiber is ever absorbed into the body.
Skipping out on a daily dose of fiber often leads to constipation, which can make going to the bathroom painful and uncomfortable—hence the term “backed up.” Eating too little fiber can make it tough to control blood sugar and appetite because fiber regulates the speed of digestion and contributes to satiety (aka feeling full). There can be too much of a good thing, though. Overdoing it with fiber can move food through the intestines too quickly, which means fewer minerals get absorbed from food. It can also result in uncomfy gas, bloating, and cramping, especially when fiber intake is dramatically increased over nigh.
So what’s the magic amount? The Institute of Medicine recommends that men under 50 eat about 38 grams of fiber each day and women consume 25 grams. Adults over 50 require less fiber (30 grams for dudes and 21 grams for ladies) due to decreased food consumption. To put that into perspective, a young man is supposed to eat the same amount of fiber found in 15 slices of whole-wheat bread every day.
Fiber can lower blood sugar, cut cholesterol, and may even prevent colon cancer and help you avoid hemorrhoids. If it were a drug, the world would be clamoring for it.
But few people are getting enough.
1. Whole-wheat bread
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| Whole-wheat bread |
White bread and other refined grains are milled, meaning the outer coating of the grain (bran) has been removed, along with the germ, a tiny part of the kernel that serves as the seed's 'embryo.' Whole wheat retains these nutrient- and fiber-rich elements, so switching from white to whole wheat is a smart nutritional move.
"Making it your go-to will make a big difference in terms of the number of grams of fiber you're getting," says Brown.
"Making it your go-to will make a big difference in terms of the number of grams of fiber you're getting," says Brown.
2. Corn
We're most familiar with the sunny, yellow version, but corn comes in a rainbow of colors—from pink to blue to black—each with its own special combination of antioxidant nutrients.
A single ear of corn, which is about a half cup of corn kernels, contains 2 grams of fiber. Popcorn is also a terrific—and low-calorie—fiber source, with about 3.5 grams of fiber per three-cup serving.
A single ear of corn, which is about a half cup of corn kernels, contains 2 grams of fiber. Popcorn is also a terrific—and low-calorie—fiber source, with about 3.5 grams of fiber per three-cup serving.
3. White beans and Black beans
In addition to being rich in fiber, protein, and iron, white beans are one of the best nutritional sources of potassium—1 cup will cover 25% of your daily requirement for this hypertension-fighting nutrient.
Beans get a bad rap when it comes to gas, but the key is to amp up your fiber intake gradually, Brown says. "If you only eat (low-fiber) foods right now, don't suddenly switch to eating 40 grams of fiber a day, because that will cause a lot of stress to the digestive system."
Beans get a bad rap when it comes to gas, but the key is to amp up your fiber intake gradually, Brown says. "If you only eat (low-fiber) foods right now, don't suddenly switch to eating 40 grams of fiber a day, because that will cause a lot of stress to the digestive system."
Black beans contain 15 grams of fiber per cup, and about 15 grams of protein. Their dark, rich color signals a high content of flavonoids, plant pigments that are powerful antioxidants. As you add beans and other high-fiber foods to your diet, be sure to drink more water, too, Brown says.
4. Avocado
The creamy flesh of the avocado is a great fiber source; a two-tablespoon serving of avocado has about 2 grams of fiber and an entire fruit contains around 10 grams. Avocados are also an excellent source of mono- and polyunsaturated fats—the "good" kind that can help lower cholesterol and reduce heart-disease risk.
5. Pear
As with most fruits with edible skins, pears are most nutritious and fiber-rich when their skins are left intact. "Keeping the skin on is really important for fiber," Brown says. A medium-size unpeeled pear contains about 5.5 grams of fiber.
6. Raspberries
Whether they're ruby-red or blue-black, raspberries are nutrition superstars. In addition to being extra-rich in fiber, one cup will give you about a third of your daily fiber needs—they're also chock-full of powerful antioxidants.
When raspberries aren't in season, buying them frozen is easier on your wallet.
When raspberries aren't in season, buying them frozen is easier on your wallet.
Broccoli
By now we all know that broccoli is very good for you. A member of the cruciferous vegetable family, known for its cancer-preventing properties, this veggie also contains a respectable amount of fiber: You'll get about 5.1 grams in a cup of boiled broccoli.
Apples
When you're talking about apples, the skin's the thing—you've got to leave it on or you'll be missing out on fiber and a host of beneficial phytochemicals.
"Once you take the skin off, you take off a lot of the good stuff that's in there," Brown says. A single regular-size apple contains about 4.4 grams of fiber.
"Once you take the skin off, you take off a lot of the good stuff that's in there," Brown says. A single regular-size apple contains about 4.4 grams of fiber.
Health Benefits of Fiber
There's no shortage of research showing how fiber may boost your health. Some of its top potential benefits include:
Blood sugar control: Soluble fiber may help to slow your body's breakdown of carbohydrates and the absorption of sugar, helping with blood sugar control.
Heart health: An inverse association has been found between fiber intake and heart attack, and research shows that those eating a high-fiber diet have a 40 percent lower risk of heart disease.
Stroke: Researchers have found that for every seven-grams more fiber you consume on a daily basis, your stroke risk is decreased by 7 percent.
Weight loss and management: Fiber supplements have been shown to enhance weight loss among obese people, likely because fiber increases feelings of fullness.
Skin health: Fiber, particularly psyllium husk, may help move yeast and fungus out of your body, preventing them from being excreted through your skin where they could trigger acne or rashes.
Diverticulitis: Dietary fiber (especially insoluble) may reduce your risk of diverticulitis – an inflammation of polyps in your intestine – by 40 percent.
Hemorrhoids: A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of hemorrhoids.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Fiber may provide some relief from IBS.
Gallstones and kidney stones: A high-fiber diet may reduce the risk of gallstones and kidney stones, likely because of its ability to help regulate blood sugar.
