foods you consume everyday
Dietary fibers are found in lots of the foods you consume everyday – fortified yogurt, ice cream, and cereal can be good sources of fibers… Continue reading
Dietary fibers are found in lots of the foods you consume everyday – fortified yogurt, ice cream, and cereal can be good sources of fibers… Continue reading
A 2011 study found that a high fiber diet reduced the risk of dying at an early age from a variety of causes, like heart disease, respiratory and infectious diseases, and cancer… Continue reading
Some dietary fibers do not just lower cholesterol, but they can also help to control your blood pressure… Continue reading
When dietary fibers are hard at work improving colon health, lowering cholesterol levels, and mediating blood sugar levels, gas is created as a byproduct. So flatulence is actually a sign that fibers are working!… Continue reading
Although experts suggest that adults should consume 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day, the average adult only consumes 15 grams per day… Continue reading
Many dietary fibers move stool through your gut faster, whisking away potentially harmful toxins… Continue reading
Some dietary fibers help fuel your colon cells, leading to anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory benefits… Continue reading
Although some dietary fibers can help lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, they can also raise your levels of good cholesterol (HDL)… Continue reading
Dietary fibers may help with weight control. Studies have shown that lean adults are more likely to eat more fibers than obese adults… Continue reading
Some dietary fibers can boost your immune system by amplifying the good bacteria in your GI tract and getting rid of the bad… Continue reading
A high fiber diet can improve cholesterol levels, promoting heart health… Continue reading
Dietary fibers can lower the glycemic impact of foods, which can be especially beneficial for people managing their blood sugar levels… Continue reading
You can get the same benefits from dietary fibers whether they occur naturally or are added to foods… Continue reading
Many dietary fibers can improve your body’s absorption of certain minerals. This is especially true for calcium, a mineral known to help with proper bone health and development… Continue reading
February 2, 2018 — The open access article “Health Effects and Sources of Prebiotic Dietary Fiber” was published in Current Developments in Nutrition. Following a brief review of the various definitions of prebiotic, the review article provides a summary of eight health benefits of prebiotic dietary fiber including the following: Effect on hind gut bacteria … Continue reading
January 24, 2018 — While trending diets and eating recommendations seem to be focused on elimination of specific foods or food components, it is important to advise patients on foods and ingredients they should consume – fiber being one of them. For example, numerous studies have shown fiber intake is associated with several positive health … Continue reading
The article “The behavior of dietary fiber in the gastrointestinal tract determines its physiological effect” was published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. Capuano reviews the various definitions used to describe dietary fiber and notes they all refer to carbohydrate polymers that are not digested or absorbed in the upper human intestine but … Continue reading
Common barriers for individuals that are reducing their caloric intake to lose body weight is that they feel hungry and also don’t feel like they have enough food to eat. While reducing the portion size and how often you eat certain foods may help you on your journey, there are also strategies that help reduce … Continue reading
The health benefits of a high fiber diet are far reaching and hard to deny. A high fiber diet is thought to be beneficial in managing weight, cholesterol and blood sugar – not to mention a reduction in risk of certain cancers. Let’s also not forget what fiber is best known for – improved gut … Continue reading
In August 2017, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) published a consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics that includes consideration of some non-digestible carbohydrates. A review of the definition of prebiotics is offered with the evidence that these compounds can manipulate the host microbiome to benefit the host. Research … Continue reading
The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) has published a consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics that includes consideration of some non-digestible carbohydrates. A review of the definition of prebiotics is offered with the evidence that these compounds can manipulate the host microbiome to benefit the host. Research continues to … Continue reading
For your information, the article “A review of the characteristics of dietary fibers relevant to appetite and energy intake outcomes in human intervention trials” was published in the September issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The authors summarize research to potentially elucidate properties of dietary fibers that affect appetite and energy intake. The … Continue reading
With school back in session, it’s important to make sure that you and your children are getting enough fiber. September is also family meals month, so this is the perfect time to focus on adding more fiber to family mealtimes. The Dietary Reference Intakes recommend that adult males consume at least 38 grams of fiber … Continue reading
With summer coming to an end and school schedules resuming, I find myself falling back into more structured meal planning. Like many families, our summertime dinners are often simply grilled meats and vegetables paired with salads, fresh fruit and whole grain breads. But as the weather turns cooler, our dinner time choices also begin to … Continue reading
For your information, Kranz, et al., authored the study “Whole Grains Contribute Only a Small Proportion of Dietary Fiber to the U.S. Diet” published in Nutrients. The study evaluated data from the 2003–2004 to 2009–2010 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine the relationship between whole grain (WG) foods and dietary fiber … Continue reading
Celebrate summer this year by breaking away from traditional BBQ and creating a menu that is not only tasty but healthy, too. An easy way to improve the nutrition of your menu is to focus on fiber. Fiber helps you to stay full and satisfied and is found in a variety of healthy foods like … Continue reading
As a Registered Dietitian, even I struggle with getting the recommended amount of fiber. Did you know that men should aim for 38 grams/day and women should aim for at least 25 grams/day? However, the average intake is around 15 grams/day. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are all good sources of dietary fiber. If you’re … Continue reading
It’s no secret that most people don’t get enough fiber in their daily diets. But did you know that Americans consume only about HALF of the recommended amount (which is about 25g per day for women and 38g per day for men) per day? Endurance athletes are especially susceptible to inadequate fiber intake when they … Continue reading
Narita, et al., describe the findings of their study in an article titled “Dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer defined by estrogen and progesterone receptor status: the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study” published in Cancer Causes & Control. The researchers explored possible associations between dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer … Continue reading
Fiber is a nutrient that is under-consumed by most individuals with most Americans consuming about half of the recommended intake of 14 grams of fiber per 1000 Calories. For an average adult, this means a daily intake of 25g (female) or 38g (male). Contrary to popular belief, vegetables and fruits are not the only food … Continue reading
On January 28 2014, various researchers, educators, and communications experts convened at the Food & Fiber Summit in Washington, DC. The purpose of the summit was to identify barriers to achieving the daily fiber intake recommendations and to determine ways in which healthcare providers can encourage adequate consumption. The Institutes of Medicine (IOM) have published … Continue reading
Fiber is an essential component of the human diet that provides many health benefits, including digestive health and weight management. Fiber is sometimes called “roughage”, and refers to a type of carbohydrate found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that are not digested by the body. The recommended daily fiber intake is 14 grams of … Continue reading
The article “Dietary fiber intake is inversely associated with risk of pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis” was published in the January 2017 issue of the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Mao, et al., conducted a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies to review evidence of the association between dietary fiber intake and the risk of pancreatic cancer … Continue reading
“Of the under-consumed nutrients, calcium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamin D are considered nutrients of public health concern because low intakes are associated with health concerns.” – Dietary Guidelines for American 2015-2020 (8th edition). In the United States, the recommended dietary fiber intake is 14g/1,000 kcal. For an average adult, this means a daily intake … Continue reading
Where It Comes From Psyllium fiber comes from the outer coating, or “husk”, of the psyllium plant’s seeds. The psyllium husk is a naturally occurring source of soluble fiber. What It Does Psyllium fiber is a source of soluble fiber, and has multiple health benefits. Psyllium fiber forms a sticky gel that acts like a … Continue reading
Where It Comes From Oat beta-glucan is a soluble (dissolves in liquid) dietary fiber that is made from oats. Beta-glucan is found naturally in several foods, including oats and barley. People have been growing and eating oats for more than 2,000 years and numerous food products containing oats are available in the US and around … Continue reading
Where It Comes From Inulin is a natural, soluble (dissolves in water) dietary fiber that is primarily derived from chicory root. Chicory is a biennial plant that is also known as succory, hendibeh, blue daisy, blue sandelion, blue weed and coffeeweed. How It’s Made Inulin is present in numerous fruits and … Continue reading
A Soluble Corn Fiber Where It Comes From Digestion Resistant Maltodextrin (DRM) is a dietary fiber made from corn starch. How It’s Made DRM is made from a controlled conversion of the digestible glucose constituents in starch into non digestible ones. It has been available in the United States since 1999. What It Does DRM … Continue reading
Where It Comes From Soluble corn fiber is a dietary fiber sourced from corn. How It’s Made Soluble corn fiber is made via conversion of the digestible glucose constituents in corn starch into non digestible ones. It has been available in the United States since 1999. What It Does Soluble corn fiber is up to … Continue reading
Where It Comes From Polydextrose is a soluble (dissolves in liquid) fiber that is a polymer of many glucose units randomly bonded together. How It’s Made Polydextrose has been available as a food ingredient since the 1960’s. Heat is used to bind together many dextrose (glucose) units in a random fashion to make polydextrose. What … Continue reading
“Of the under-consumed nutrients, calcium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamin D are considered nutrients of public health concern because low intakes are associated with health concerns.” – Dietary Guidelines for American 2015-2020 (8th edition). In the United States, the recommended dietary fiber intake is 14g/1,000kcal. For an average adult, this means a daily intake of … Continue reading
The study “The Interaction between Dietary Fiber and Fat and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in the Women’s Health Initiative” by Navarro et al. explored possible associations between fiber (soluble, pectins, insoluble) and fatty acids (omega-3, DHA+EPA, and omega-6) and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Researchers extrapolated data from the women’s health initiative (WHI), a … Continue reading
A review entitled “Polydextrose: Physiological Function and Effects on Health” by Ramiro do Carmo et al. was published in Nutrients. The review examines the literature regarding the health effects of polydextrose (PDX) supplementation. PDX is not hydrolyzed by digestive enzymes in the small intestine and is therefore gradually and partially fermented by colonic microbiota with … Continue reading
In the U.S., information about the amount of dietary fiber per serving appears in the Nutrition Facts Panel (on the side or back of packaging) unless the product contains less than one gram of fiber and no fiber claims are made. In the U.S. products that contain at least 10% of the daily value or … Continue reading
We all know the importance of balancing the number of calories we eat with the number of calories we burn to help achieve and maintain a healthy weight. The number of devices that estimate how many calories you burn and the apps that help you estimate how many calories you are eating can certainly help … Continue reading
As heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death for Americans, the need for healthcare providers to advise patients on lifestyle choices that can reduce the risk and complications for cardiovascular disease. One of these choices is to increase fiber consumption since Americans only consumer approximately half of the recommended daily intake of … Continue reading
Most of us have heard we need to add more fiber in our diet. But did you know fiber can help build healthier hearts? Three of fiber’s properties are at the core of heart health: solubility, viscosity and fermentability. Solubility The ability of fiber molecules to dissolve in water is called solubility. Soluble fiber dissolves … Continue reading
Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle takes a lot of work, but one thing, in particular, can help you achieve the health goals you set for yourself: planning. For some people, planning comes naturally, but for others it takes some time and effort to make it a regular part of their lifestyle. Whether you’re scheduling … Continue reading
Summer is the season for families to be outdoors and on the go. It’s also the season of fresh fruits, vegetables and grilling that can make it easy to eat a diet higher in fiber. While most Americans only consume about half of the recommended intake, the recommendation to eat a variety of fibers means … Continue reading
For your information, “Knowledge about dietary fibre: a fibre study framework” by Guiné, et al., was published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. The articles describes findings from a survey that 6,000 individuals from 10 countries (Argentina, Croatia, Egypt, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Macedonia, Portugal, Romania and Turkey) completed regarding their knowledge of … Continue reading
If a healthful diet were a high-fashion wardrobe, dietary fiber would be the sensible shoes. And, like sensible shoes, fiber isn’t glamorous, but it can take you where you need to go. What is dietary fiber? Dietary fiber is a type of complex carbohydrate that has two forms: insoluble and soluble. Humans don’t have the … Continue reading
In a new article from the University of Alberta, titled “The Fiber Gap and the Disappearing Gut Microbiome: Implications for Human Nutrition,” authors provide an overview of the evidence regarding dietary fibers and the microbiome. The article, which was published in Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, reviews data which suggests low fiber diets may reduce … Continue reading
Source Chicory (Cichorium intibus L.) is a biennial plant in the Asteraceia family that is also known as succory, hendibeh, blue daisy, blue dandelion, blue weed and coffeeweed. The root stores the carbohydrate energy known as inulin.1 Background Inulin is present in numerous fruits and vegetables. It has been consumed by man since ancient times, … Continue reading
Source Corn Background Polydextrose is made of many dextrose (glucose) carbohydrates that randomly bond together and form a polymer. Polydextrose is produced from naturally occurring components. The 1,6-glucosidic linkage predominates in the polymer but α- and β-1,2; 1,3; 1,4 linkages are also present. Polydextrose is a multi-purpose food ingredient used to replace sugar, fat and … Continue reading
Fiber Name Resistant Maltodextrin (Soluble Corn Fiber) Source Corn Background Soluble Corn Fiber has been available on the US market since 2007 and it is used in foods and beverages across the Americas, Europe and Southeast Asia. Soluble Corn Fiber is produced from corn through enzymatic hydrolysis of corn starch. It has a low viscosity, … Continue reading
If you want to make one healthy change in your diet starting today, start by evaluating how much fiber you’re getting in your diet. Why? Because many of us struggle to consume the recommended daily amount of fiber we should be getting in our diets. Plus, dietary fiber has so many wonderful health benefits and … Continue reading
Fiber Name(s) Names and aliases: oat beta-glucan, oat bran fiber, oat bran soluble fiber, oat fiber, oat soluble fiber The chemical names and synonyms for oat beta-glucan include the following: β-D-glucan (1-3),(1-4)- β-D-glucan Source Oats Background People have been growing and eating oats for more than 2000 years. Today numerous food products containing oats are … Continue reading
It may not be the first thing most people think about when it comes to looking fit and living healthfully, but dietary fiber can be good for just about every, well, fiber of your being. These facts may provide you with some food for thought on adding more fiber to your diet. How To Add … Continue reading
It may sound like a scientific breakthrough, but something that can help prevent heart disease, obesity and possibly cancer can easily be found in many of the foods already in your grocery store. It’s dietary fiber; certain substances that are not digested by the body. Where To Find It You can find fiber in fruit, … Continue reading
ATLANTA (September 8, 2014) — Researchers find possible mechanism to explain why fiber is associated with reduced appetite, according to a new study by Frost et al. published in Nature Communications. In the study, the researchers supplemented high-fat diets of mice with a highly digestible fiber, inulin, or a poorly digested fiber, cellulose. The feces … Continue reading
ATLANTA (September 8, 2014) — Increasing your intake of fiber after a heart attack may reduce your risk of a subsequent heart attack, according to a recent study by Li et al. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, reviewed data from two large studies, the Nurses’ Health Study, which followed 121,700 U.S. female nurses, and … Continue reading
ATLANTA (April 30, 2014) — Previous studies have shown the benefit of fiber on digestive health, but according to a study published in Nature Medicine, consumption of fiber may also help with reducing inflammation caused by allergic reaction. In the study, researchers examined the effect of dietary fiber on inflammation response in mice fed either … Continue reading
ATLANTA (February 12, 2014) — A recent review has found that an additional seven grams per day of dietary fiber can lower risk of heart disease by 9%. The findings appeared online December 19 in the British Medical Journal. The authors reviewed more than 20 studies from 1990 to 2013 to determine the effect of dietary fiber … Continue reading
ATLANTA (August 1, 2013) — A study published in Stroke found that people who ate more dietary fiber were less like to have a stroke. In a study entitled “Dietary Fiber Intake and Risk of First Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”, authors Threapleton et al looked at past literature to determine if there was any association between total … Continue reading
Whether you’re looking to gain health or lose weight, the food you’ll want to have more of is the kind that’s full of fiber. Why Fiber Fiber-rich foods are good for you in a variety of ways: Increased immune support: Certain fibers can increase the levels of beneficial bacteria and reduce the levels of bad … Continue reading
Despite some media reports to the contrary, the findings presented in the study “Fermentable Fibers do not Affect Satiety or Food Intake by Women Who do not Practice Restrained Eating,”1 do not demonstrate that fiber does not lead to the feeling of fullness (also known as satiety). As the study authors noted, “The health benefits … Continue reading
People who consumed higher amounts of fiber, particularly from grains, had a significantly lower risk of dying over a nine-year period compared to those who consumed lower amounts of fiber, according to a new National Institutes of Health study. Fiber, found in whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetables and fruits aids the body with bowel movements, … Continue reading
An apple a day may keep the doctor away but according to a group of Australian researchers, a fiber-rich diet could hold the key to keeping asthma, diabetes and arthritis at bay. Scientists at Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research say that fiber boosts the immune system so it can better combat inflammatory diseases. When … Continue reading