On...Fiber

My earliest memories of fiber stretches back to golden summer days at my great-grandfather's summer cottage in Manuals, Newfoundland.  His morning breakfast ritual was a bowl of All-Bran, a relatively plain looking box, minus the very prominent claim of it's FIBER content.  

'Hmmmm - fiber?' I mused, 'What's fiber?!' I always wanted my Cap'n Crunch, complete with the prize in the bottom of the box.

Fiber, in its simplest term, is a carbohydrate that our bodies cannot digest. There are two types of fiber, soluble (can dissolve in water, ex. oats, beans, lentils and skins of apples and pears) and insoluble (cannot dissolve in water, ex. whole grains, dark leafy vegetables and the skins of other fruits).

My first, and last, effort to eat a bowl of All-Bran, inflicted due to limited other food resources this particular day, steered me clear of fiber-potent foods for years to come; but, somewhere between then and now, something changed and KA-POW! fiber is one of the ingredients for which I scan the nutrition label on all my foods. 

Why?

Not only have I discovered delish ways to enjoy fiber, but I am aware of 4 simple, yet crucial, health reasons:

1. CARDIAC HEALTH - fact: heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in North America. Fact: a diet high in fiber can lower cholesterol and help maintain a healthy weight, both factors in fighting heart disease.

2. CONSTIPATION - politely put, fiber helps to regulate the gastrointestinal system.

3. DIABETES - a diet high in fiber helps reduce the risk of acquiring type-2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease.

4. DIVERTICULITIS - diverticula are small pouches that form along the lining of the colon.  When food gets lodged in one, it becomes inflamed and can lead to severe and dangerous abdominal pains.  Fiber helps keep things moving.

To make sure your pantry is stock-full of high- fiber goods, Quaker Oatmeal (www.quakeroats.com) provides a great list, plus a wealth of other useful knowledge.

Keep in mind, that men between the ages of 19-50 should aim for 38 grams of fiber a day, while men 50+ should have 30 grams. Meanwhile, women between the ages of 19-50 should aim for 25 grams, while women 50+ should have 21 grams.

There you have, the 'IN' and the 'OUT' of fiber...