That’s Roughage to you!

Do you have high cholesterol? Increase your fiber!
Do you have high blood pressure? Increase your fiber!
Are you overweight? Increase your fiber!

What's the deal with fiber (aka roughage)? It seems to play a role in just about all our health problems.

With blood pressure and cholesterol, dietaty fiber binds to cholesterol in circulation and helps remove it from the body. Research has shown that for every 1-2 grams of daily soluble fiber intake, LDL (bad) cholesterol is lowered 1%.

On the weight control side of things, fiber increases how full you feel, which aids youer efforts to lose weight and/or maintain a healthy weight.

Things You Need to Know to Make Dietary Fiber Work for You:

There are two types of fiber.

Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fiber remains relatively intact as it passes through the digestive system. The primary function of insoluble fiber is to move waste through the intestines and maintain intestinal acid balance.

Soluable Fiber

Soluble fiber is the type of fiber responsible for lowering total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

Sources of insoluble fiber

These include, fruit skins and root vegetable skins.
Vegetables (green beans, celery, cauliflower, zucchini, beets, turnips, potato skins, and dark green leafy vegetables)
Wheat and whole-wheat products
Wheat oat
Corn bran
Seeds and nuts

Sources of soluble fiber

Oat and oat bran
Legumes (dried beans and peas)
Nuts
Barley, rye
Flaxseed
Fruits (i.e. oranges, apples, prunes, plums, berries)
Vegetables (i.e. carrots, broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions)
Psyllium husk

How much do you need?

Nutritionists say 25-35 grams of dietary fiber everyday. Of this, 15 grams should be soluble. In the US the average fiber intake is 12-18 grams/day.
If your current diet is very low in dietary fiber, don't increase to 35 grams overnight. A sudden increase will result in gastrointestinal (stomach) distress and unpleasant side effects (flatulence and diarrhea). You want to increase your fiber intake gradually.

So, select high fiber foods, especially foods that contain soluble fiber. Click here, or here, to find sources of fiber supplements online!