Eating a healthy diet is something that everyone should strive to do at any age, but it is particularly important for people over 40. One aspect of eating a healthy diet that some people overlook is getting enough dietary fiber each day.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, fiber comes in two varieties:
- “Insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve in water, can help food move through your digestive system, promoting regularity and helping prevent constipation. Foods with insoluble fibers include whole wheat products (especially wheat bran), quinoa, brown rice, legumes, leafy greens like kale, almonds, walnuts, seeds, and fruits with edible skins like pears and apples.”
- “Soluble fiber, which dissolves in water, can help lower glucose levels as well as help lower blood cholesterol. Foods with soluble fiber include oatmeal, chia seeds, nuts, beans, lentils, apples, and blueberries. Insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve in water, can help food move through your digestive system, promoting regularity and helping prevent constipation. Foods with insoluble fibers include whole wheat products (especially wheat bran), quinoa, brown rice, legumes, leafy greens like kale, almonds, walnuts, seeds, and fruits with edible skins like pears and apples.”
According to the University of California San Francisco, “A high-fiber diet appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, constipation and colon cancer. Fiber is important for the health of the digestive system and for lowering cholesterol.”
An obvious question is ‘How much fiber should someone eat in a day?’ The American Heart Association recommends 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, and the previous citation I listed above from the University of California indicates that adults in the United States only average about half of that amount.
A study from 2009 conducted by researchers affiliated with the University of Kentucky provides a more specific amount of daily dietary fiber intake that is based on how many calories you consume in a day, with the researchers stating ‘the recommended dietary fiber intakes for children and adults are 14 g/1000 kcal.’
The lists found earlier in this article of insoluble and soluble fiber sources from the Harvard School of Public Health provide some great examples of things to include in your daily diet. If you are looking to add additional fiber to your diet in a way that is convenient and low in calories, consider using a daily fiber supplement.
I recently started using a generic, tasteless supplement that is similar to products like Benefiber. A couple of teaspoons of the specific supplement that I am using added to water provides 3 grams of dietary fiber, and since I am already drinking as much water as reasonably possible in a day, it is super convenient.
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