{"id":145625,"date":"2026-03-15T06:13:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-15T11:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/?p=145625"},"modified":"2026-03-15T16:16:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-15T21:16:08","slug":"family-living-focus-fit-more-fiber-into-your-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/family-living-focus-fit-more-fiber-into-your-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"Family Living Focus: Fit More Fiber into Your Diet"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor<\/em>
\nEmeritus, University of Minnesota<\/em><\/p>\n

You know fiber is good for you but if you are like many Americans, you do
\nnot get enough.\u00a0 In fact, most of us get less than half the recommended
\namount of fiber each day.<\/p>\n

Dietary fiber is found in the plants you eat, including fruits, vegetables,
\nand whole grains.\u00a0 It is sometimes called bulk or roughage.\u00a0 You have
\nprobably heard that it can help with digestion so it may seem odd that fiber
\nis a substance that your body cannot digest.\u00a0 It passes through your
\ndigestive system practically unchanged.<\/p>\n

You might think that if it is not digestible then it is of no value. But
\nthere is no question that higher intake of fiber from all food sources is
\nbeneficial.<\/p>\n

Fiber can relieve constipation and normalize your bowel movements.\u00a0 Some
\nstudies suggest that high-fiber diets might also help with weight loss and
\nreduce the risk for cardiovascular
\n<http:\/\/newsinhealth.nih.gov\/definition.aspx?d=Cardiovascular%3a%3aThe+syste
\nm+of+heart+and+vessels+that+circulates+blood+through+the+body.&t=cardiovascu<\/a>
\nlar>\u00a0 disease, diabetes and cancer.<\/p>\n

The strongest evidence of fiber’s benefits is related to cardiovascular
\nhealth.\u00a0 Studies that followed people for many years found that those who
\nate the most fiber had a lower risk for heart disease.<\/p>\n

It is suggested that men get about 38 grams of fiber a day, and women about
\n25 grams. Unfortunately, in the United States we take in an average of only
\n14 grams of fiber each day.<\/p>\n

High fiber intake seems to protect against several heart-related problems.
\nThere is evidence that high dietary fiber consumption lowers ‘bad’
\ncholesterol
\n<http:\/\/newsinhealth.nih.gov\/definition.aspx?d=Cholesterol%3a%3aA+waxy%2c+fa
\nt-like+substance+that+your+body+needs+to+function+normally.+A+high+level+in+
\nthe+blood%2c+however%2c+is+a+major+risk+factor+for+heart+disease.&t=choleste<\/a>
\nrol>\u00a0 concentrations in the blood and reduces the risk for developing
\ncoronary artery disease, stroke and high blood pressure.<\/p>\n

Fiber may also lessen the risk for type 2 diabetes
\n<http:\/\/newsinhealth.nih.gov\/definition.aspx?d=Type+2+Diabetes%3a%3aA+diseas
\ne+in+which+blood+levels+of+glucose%e2%80%94a+type+of+sugar%e2%80%94are+too+h<\/a>
\nigh.&t=type+2+diabetes> , the most common form of diabetes.\u00a0 Fiber in the
\nintestines can slow the absorption of sugar, which helps prevent blood sugar
\nfrom spiking.\u00a0 A study followed more than 75,000 adults for 14 years found
\nthat diabetes risk was significantly reduced in people who had the highest
\nfiber intake.<\/p>\n

Weight loss is another area where fiber might help.\u00a0 High-fiber foods
\ngenerally make you feel fuller for longer.\u00a0 Fiber adds bulk but few
\ncalories.\u00a0 In studies where people are put on different types of diets,
\nthose on the high-fiber diets typically eat about 10% fewer calories.\u00a0 Other
\nstudies have found that people with high fiber intake tend to weigh less.<\/p>\n

Scientists have also looked into links between fiber and different types of
\ncancer, with mixed results.\u00a0 Research has focused on colorectal cancer, the
\nsecond-leading cause of cancer death nationwide.\u00a0 Protection against
\ncolorectal cancer is sometimes stronger when scientists look at whole-grain
\nintake rather than just fiber.\u00a0 One study of older adults found no
\nrelationship between fiber and colorectal cancer risk, but whole-grain
\nintake led to a modest risk reduction.<\/p>\n

Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are also packed with vitamins and other
\nnutrients, so experts recommend that you get most of your fiber from these
\nnatural sources.\u00a0 Unfortunately, a lot of people tend to pick low-fiber
\nfoods.\u00a0 They go for white bread or white rice.\u00a0 Most of the processed foods
\nthat are really convenient tend to be low in fiber.<\/p>\n

For people who have trouble getting enough fiber from natural sources, store
\nshelves are filled with packaged foods that tout added fiber.\u00a0 These
\nfiber-fortified products include yogurts, ice cream, cereals, snack bars,
\nand juices.\u00a0 Research suggests that fiber-fortified products may not have
\nthe same effects as the intact fibers found in whole foods.<\/p>\n

The bottom line is that most of us need to fit more fiber into our day, no
\nmatter what its source.\u00a0 It would be great if people would choose more foods
\nthat are naturally high in fiber.<\/p>\n

Increase your fiber intake gradually, so your body can get used to it.
\nAdding fiber slowly helps you avoid gas, bloating and cramps.\u00a0 Eat a variety
\nof fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts to add a mix of different
\nfibers and a wide range of nutrients to your diet.\u00a0 A fiber-rich diet can
\nhelp your health in many ways.<\/p>\n

Tips to Get More Fiber in Your Diet<\/p>\n

*\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Bulk up your breakfast. Choose a high-fiber cereal (5 or more grams
\nper serving) or make a bowl of oatmeal and top it with nuts and fruit.
\n*\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Switch to whole grains. Look for bread that lists whole-grain flour
\nas the first ingredient. Experiment with barley, wild or brown rice, quinoa,
\nwhole wheat pasta, and bulgur.
\n*\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Add a vegetable. Keep a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, spinach, or
\nbroccoli florets for a quick addition to any pasta sauce or rice dish.
\nStart dinners with a tossed salad.
\n*\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Do not forget legumes. Try peas, different kinds of beans (pinto,
\nkidney, lima, navy and garbanzo) and lentils.
\n*\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Snack on fruit, nuts, and seeds. Grab a piece of fruit such as an
\napple, pear, or banana. Keep some almonds, sunflower seeds, and pistachios
\nhandy.\u00a0 Low-fat popcorn or sliced vegetables and hummus also make a great
\nsnack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gail Gilman, Family Life Consultant, M.Ed., C.F.C.S. and Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota You know fiber is good for you but if you are like many Americans, you do not get enough.\u00a0 In fact, most of us get less than half the recommended amount of fiber each day. Dietary fiber is found in the plants …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":142950,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[191],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-145625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsletters"],"aioseo_notices":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":true,"date":"2026-07-31 16:13:37","action":"change-status","newStatus":"trash","terms":[0],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=145625"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":145626,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145625\/revisions\/145626"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=145625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sleepyeyeonline.com\/goodnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=145625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}