Benefits of Fiber Dawn Phillips Rachael DeVaux Trisha Lamay

What do you think of when you hear Fiber?

Why is Fiber Important? -It keeps you regular. -It may lower the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. -It fills you up, which helps prevent overeating. -It helps with digestion. -It can help control blood sugar.

What is Fiber? ●Dietary fiber: “roughage or bulk,” comes from plants, not meat or dairy o Soluble fiber: Dissolves in water  Makes you feel full→ less overeating  Slows digestion  May help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol  Sources: Apples, Oranges, Nuts, Beans, Oatmeal, Carrots, Celery, Cucumbers, Strawberries o Insoluble fiber: Does not dissolve in water  Adds bulk to stools reducing constipation  “Nature’s Broom”  Sources: Whole wheat, whole grains, seeds, nuts, couscous, barley, bulgur, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes

Soluble vs. Insoluble

How much do I need? Women: -need 25 grams per day Men: -need 38 grams per day

Sources of Fiber ●Fiber from food o whole grains, fruits, veggies, and legumes provide both soluble and insoluble fiber ●Supplements o most fiber supplements are soluble fiber, which help move things along Focus on eating whole foods like fruits and vegetables!

Gametime!!

Instructions: Match the food item with the amount of fiber you need in one day to fulfill your daily recommendations (If you were to only eat ex: apples for one whole day, how many apples would you need to eat in order to get your daily requirement?)

So what’s the answer? (Women/Men) Carrots /8 cups Oatmeal /9.5 cups Prunes /5 cups Almonds /3.5 cups Apples /8.5 cups Wheat Pasta /3 cups Wheat Bread / 15 slices Beans /2.5 cups

Main Foods With Fiber ●Beans and legumes: 4-17g per serving ●Nuts, and seeds: 2-5g per serving (one serving of nuts = 1 oz. = about 24 almonds) ●Vegetables: 2-11g per serving ●Fruits: 1-8g per serving ●Grains, cereals, pastas: 2-7g per serving

What is a “good” source of fiber? Look at the nutrition label for dietary fiber ●Good source = 2.5g per serving ●Excellent source = 5g per serving

Fruits & Veggies What is one serving? Fresh Fruit = 1 cup Dried Fruit = ½ cup Cooked Vegetables = ½ cup Raw Vegetables= 1 cup

How much do you need with fruits/vegetables? Women: -2 ½ cup vegetables per day -1 ½ to 2 cups of fruits per day Men: -3 ½ cup vegetables per day -1 ½ to 2 cups of fruits per day

Focus on getting half of your grains as whole grains Recommendation for adults is 6 servings of grains per day → at least 3 should be whole grains Bonus: make ALL servings whole grains Whole grains have approximately 4-6 grams of fiber per serving What does one serving of whole grains look like? ●½ a cup of brown rice or oatmeal (cooked) ●1 slice 100% Whole Wheat bread ●½ a 100% Whole Wheat Bagel

Look for the Whole Grain Stamp! The Basic Stamp: -may contain some extra bran, germ or refined flour -minimum serving to be considered whole grain -8 grams of whole grain per serving The 100% Stamp: -ALL the grain is whole grain -16 grams of whole grain per serving

What does Fiber do? ●Makes you feel full ●GI health ●Lowers cholesterol

Fiber Helps You Feel Full → Components in fiber make gel-like substance to slow digestion (weight maintenance) → Eating fiber helps you stay full longer by increasing the amount of chewing time → Fibrous foods take up more room in the stomach

Gut Health Fiber is “nature’s broom” ●Insoluble fiber pulls food through your large intestine ●Soluble fiber absorbs water Add fiber into your diet slowly to reduce the chances of discomfort! Fiber promotes healthy gut flora! ●Fiber is a prebiotic - food for the flora ●A population of healthy gut flora can help manage weight

Lowers Cholesterol & Risk of Heart Disease Soluble fiber reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol → Any whole grain → Oatmeal (without unhealthy toppings) → Nuts → Fruit Fiber reduces risk of heart disease → Diets with highest amount of fiber show lowest risk of heart disease

Putting all the Fibers Together.. Fiber works as a substitute for higher calorie foods: More Oatmeal, nuts, veggies, fruit, etc. Less Bacon, sausage, dressing, cheese, etc. (use these as condiments) So...Fiber keeps you healthy by: ●Weight Management ●Controlling Blood Sugar ●Heart Health ●Gut Health Get → 25g for women, 38g for men - Lots of fruits and veggies!

Tips For Increasing Fiber Breakfast: ●Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices. Whole fruit has more fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Plus an apple or a handful of berries will keep you/your child feeling full longer than a glass of fruit juice Lunch: ●Add a small bag of nuts or seeds Dinner: ●Replace white rice, white bread, and white pastas with brown rice and whole grain foods ●Try mixing half whole grain and half processed (ex: white rice) food together

Thank You!