What is Fiber?Fiber is found primarily in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (aka beans). A few familiar examples of fiber rich foods include sweet potatoes, kidney beans, celery, bran cereals, nuts brown rice and brown pasta. Even better, most high fiber foods are low glycemic! Regardless of your age or general physical condition, you need fiber. Consuming sufficient fiber daily is a proactive wellness step everyone should take to stay healthy. Most likely, as you age, your need for fiber increases. Dietary fiber is nearly impossible to digest—and that’s precisely why it’s good for you. As it passes virtually unchanged through the digestive system, fiber helps move other food through the intestines and transports waste products for elimination. In the colon – the main part of the large intestines – fiber is broken down by bacteria. The simple organic acids produced by this breakdown help nourish the lining of the colon. They also furnish fuel for the rest of the body, especially the liver, and my play a major role in metabolism. A healthy diet should include approximately 25-30 grams of fiber a day. The average American eats less than half that. Ironically, Americans consume only about 10% as much fiber now than they did 100 years ago. Changes at the turn of the 20th century in the way wheat is processed into flour accounts for much of this.
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