To make this article interesting is challenging for me, so I will start off by stating, having a high fiber diet has saved my life! Quick and easy. There are 2 types of fiber. Insoluble Fiber and Soluble Fiber. The sum of these 2 fibers is Total dietary Fiber that we now see on many labels in the market. Insoluble Fiber moves bulk through the intestines and controls the balance of the acidity in the intestines which prevents constipation, removes toxic waste through the colon quicker, helps prevent colon cancer by preventing microbes from producing cancerous substances. Some food sources for Insoluble Fiber are dark green leafy vegetables, green beans, fruit skins and root vegetable, whole wheat products, wheat bran, corn bran, seeds and nuts (in moderation).
Soluble Fiber binds with fatty acids and prolongs stomach emptying time so that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly. Soluble Fiber lowers total and LDL (the bad) cholesterol and regulates blood sugar for people with diabetes. Some Food Sources of soluble fiber are Oat/Oat Bran, Dried peas and beans, Nuts, Barley, Flax Seed, Fruits such as Apples and Oranges, Vegetables such as carrots and also psyllium Husk.
Back to Fiber changing my life. May 24th, 2010, I landed in the hospital for 3 days with Diverticulitis. That was a horrible experience which re occurred the following November. Luckily I did not have to go to the hospital the second time because I had the medicine in my fridge. The first time I was convinced I was sick from eating too many nuts and seeds, esp Blackberry seeds which I wasn't chewing so they wouldn't get stuck in my teeth.. That in combination with dehydration punched a pin hole in my colon.. All of that could have been avoided if the Dr. had told me after my colonoscopy that I had Diverticulosis and to avoid certain foods. While healing all I could eat was, non-fiber "White" foods, Bread, Rice, Chicken Breast and yogurt. After 10 days of healing a high fiber diet was instructed by the Dr. 30 grams a day is the goal. It is not hard to do and it all starts at the supermarket. I have to be careful of what I eat now and truthfully eating a high fiber diet makes me feel so much better! I look at Total Dietary Fiber on labels. Here is a list of Foods that are High in Fiber: By the way...there is no fiber in Meat, White Bread or yogurt! The serving size for most is 1 cup and there is more fiber content in cooked veggies and fruits than in raw, go figure.
Vegetables: Peas, Acorn Squash, Pumpkin, Collard GreensCarrots, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Asparagus, Cabbage, Green Beans, Corn, Spinach. Fruits: Pears, Apples, Avocado, Rasperries, Blackberries, Prunes, Banana, Oranges, Blueberries, Peach Kiwi, Strawberries. (Just because I cannot eat berries, that doesn't mean you can't)!
Beans are very high in fiber, Example: 1 cup of Navy Beans, cooked has 19 grams. Most other beans such as Black Beans, Pinto and Garbanzo beans all have 15 grams of fiber per cooked cup. However there are side affects such as bloating and gas. I heard a trick to deal with that is to put a little baking soda in the pot while cooking. Whole grains are not so high in fiber. I make sure to purchase high fiber bread that has at least 5 grams per slice. Amaranth is an ancient grian of the Aztecs and it has a whopping 9 grams per 1/2 cup cooked and it has 14 grams of protein! I will experiment with it soon and I think it may be gluten free too. If you want to get something in the freezer section, Amy's Organic Chili has 15 grams of fiber per serving. It is sold at Whole Foods and Ralph's, here in LA. And for a snack, try a Larabar. It has 5 grams of fiber per bar. It all adds up! Hoping you like this information. I love researching and this subject gets me right in the gut, so it is very important to me :) Look up Fiber Up Food Finder on Google. It's fun and it even gives you a shopping list!
