What's the deal with fiber?

[Kerri]

Ok, I am beginning to think I don't have all the information about fiber. I know it is good for me, but I always thought it was mainly good to aid digestion. Does fiber have any other magical properties I should know about? Thanks!

[makedah]

This is what I know, off the cuff...

Fiber aids in digestion by pushing waste along. This may also decrease your chances of getting colon cancer. Insoluble fiber (apples, oats and beans are a good source of this) can also help to lower your cholesterol.

For many years, researchers have found that people who have high-fiber diets live longer/healthier lives. Lots of dietitians recommend high fiber diets (25-30 gms a day or more) because when we focus on fibrous foods, we consume more fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes. These foods, as you know have lots of vitamins and minerals that are very important for good health. When we process whole grains into white flour, pasta, rice, etc. we strip away the fiber as well as important vitamins.

Don't just take a fiber supplement to increase your fiber. All these pills and powders do is make you use the potty more. The health benefits come from eating fibrous FOODS. Which, as we are learning, have all sorts of important phytochemicals that we are JUST discovering.

Eating more high-fiber foods can help us eat less and lose weight because they are bulkier and fill us up more. They also require our bodies to work harder (which is why celery has 'negative' calories -- it takes more calories to digest it than it contains). They also help us by helping to keep our blood sugar levels even, which keeps us from going on sugar highs and lows that can encourage us to eat more.

I know that I have been losing weight by exercising a LOT more and by "following the fiber." When I have to grab lunch on the fly, I think: "Where can I go and get some vegetables?" It's no coincidence that Doritos, Snickers and Extra Value Meals are low in fiber...

[This message has been edited by makedah (edited 03-26-2001).]

[LGBurns]

Oh yes! This is my amateur info--hopefully someone out there with more nutrition experience can add to (or correct) any of this. There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble is the kind in most vegetables and fruits and does indeed aid digestion, but it also helps prevent colon cancer and (I believe?) prostate cancer(?). Soluble fiber is found in whole grains and is very important for maintaining heart health and lowering cholesterol.

[ReneeV]

Hi!

Fiber is very good for your digestion and aids in weightloss efforts as well. As I and my fellow Weight Watchers know, it is an important element in the current Weight Watcher program. That may be why you see people on this board concerned with the fiber count in the nutritional analysis of CL recipes. It allows us to work these wonderful recipes into our weight loss program.

Renée

[jms0310]

I have been very concerned about fiber recently so this topic sparked my interest. I'm wondering what is different between the soluable fiber from pills/powders and fiber from foods like vegetables? Isn't it all used the same by the body or is the kind in the pills/powders different? I get all my fiber from foods but I am curious about the difference.
Jessica

[Julia1Pin]

What a coincidence! I am eating Quaker instant oatmeal Express righ tnow (3g dietary fider, 2g soluble fiber).

To add to this "healthy topic", can I just point out that the 2 things most people don't get enough of are fiber and water. the funny thing is, both of those things aid in weight loss (what most of us are trying desperately to attain, whether we need to or not) more than any pills, diets, etc... How ironis is that?