A power nutrient your diet may be lacking

Ask people if they eat a healthy diet and many will say, “yes”.  But when you start getting specific, you find their diet may lack many nutrients.  The students in my class are often surprised to learn their diets are low in calcium and low in vitamin D.  But there is another nutrient often lacking in their diets and probably is lacking in your diet.  A dietitian noted there is a “‘power nutrient’ she eats for a longer, healthier life.” A “power nutrient” that about 95% of all Americans are lacking in their diet.  Many people hear the word ‘nutrient” and they think vitamins, minerals, or proteins, fat and carbs.  But they rarely think, “fiber”. 

Fiber – the “power nutrient” you may be lacking in your diet.

The American Society for Nutrition found that a large majority, 95% of us, have diets low in fiber.  More specifically, they reported “only 5% of men and 9% of women are getting the recommended daily amount of dietary fiber”. 

What are some health risks of low fiber intake?

Getting too little fiber increases your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and GI disorders. 

  • Heart Disease:  Ever read the box of Cheerios?  The front of the box reads: “Can help lower cholesterol as part of a heart healthy diet”.  How does eating Cheerios lower cholesterol?  It is the fiber in Cheerios, 4 grams per serving, that can bind to cholesterol and actually take it out of your body.  Oatmeal and other whole grain cereals also provide fiber. (See:  Eat more fiber for a healthy heart.)
  • Eating fiber can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.  WebMD states a large study found “that a diet high in fiber, grains and magnesium may help protect against type 2 diabetes”.  Having fiber in a meal helps lower the amount of sugar that gets into your blood after the meal because fiber slows down the emptying of the stomach.  By slowing down absorption of the food you eat, you delay the absorption of sugar (glucose) in the blood stream.  (See:  What are the best diets for diabetes?)   
  • Fiber can lower one’s risk of getting colon cancer.  Foods with wheat bran are especially helpful in reducing colon cancer risk.  Think whole wheat bread, whole grain crackers which would provide some of that wheat bran.

How about fiber leading to a longer life?  Dan Buettner is considered a longevity expert.  (See: Can diet help you live longer?) He has studied areas around the world in which many people live to be 100.  In his books and on his website, he reports on the diets of those living longer lives.  One of his findings is that “About 65% of the diets in the Blue Zones is whole grains”  along with beans and starch tuber.  The grains included oats, barley, brown rice and ground corn.  


How much fiber do you need each day?

The newest Dietary Guidelines (2020-2025) recommends:

  • 25 g fiber/day for females
  • 38 g fiber/day for males

Unfortunately, most American diets are well below that amount ranging from only 16-19 grams a day. 

How can you increase the amount of fiber in your diet?

First, start reading food labels and look for the amount of dietary fiber in a food.  Choose bread with fiber, you can choose juice with pulp that adds some fiber.  

Second, increase fiber rich foods in your diet:

  • Aim for 3 servings of whole grains a day.
  • Aim for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day – and fresh is best.  An apple has fiber but applesauce can have little or no fiber.
  • Eat a handful of nuts a day.  Not only does this add some good fat (omega-3 fats) but also some fiber to your day.
  • Fruit – raspberries are especially good in fiber adding 8 grams of fiber per cup. 
  • Avocados add about 10 grams of fiber per cup.
  • Whole grain bread – Dave’s Killer Bread, 21 whole grains and seeds adds 5 grams of fiber per slice. 

A word of caution.  When increasing fiber in your diet, do it slowly, over time.  If not, you will get what my daughter calls “bubble gut” – gas, bloating and feeling quite uncomfortable.  Avoid “bubble gut” by adding whole grains, more fruit and vegetables slowly over a few weeks and not all at once.

How can you up your fiber intake?  For some ideas watch this one-minute video:  Mayo Clinic Minute:  The importance of dietary fiber.   

 

Sources:  noted , American Society of Nutrition , Cheerios , Eat more fiber for a healthy heart , study , sugar , What are the best diets for diabetes? , colon cancer , Can diet help you live longer? , Blue Zones , recommends , Dave’s Killer Bread , Mayo Clinic Minute:  The importance of dietary fiber  Image Sources:  Cheerios  , Blue zones  , Fiber

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How does coffee and tea affect blood sugar?

Image
Who doesn’t love some morning coffee?   Or, on cold days, a nice hot cup of tea.   Does drinking coffee or tea affect one’s blood glucose levels?    Should healthy adults be concerned about coffee or tea and blood glucose levels?   The Mayo Clinic says that for healthy adults, caffeine will probably have no noticeable effects on their blood sugar or blood glucose levels.   Studies have found that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine is safe for most of us.   A cup of coffee has about 120-180 milligrams of caffeine and most adults drink about 2 cups of coffee a day.   FDA says healthy adults can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine a day which equates to about 4-5 cups of coffee a day, or 10 cans of soda , or 2 “energy shot” drinks.   (See:   Caffeine – good or bad for your health? )     Can drinking coffee or tea reduce chances of getting type 2 diabetes? Some studies have found that coffee, tea, and other drinks with caffei...
Read more

Are there drinks that will help lower your blood pressure?

Image
According to the University of Southern California , almost half of Americans over the age of 20 have high blood pressure.   This means an astounding 122 million Americans.   Unfortunately, as you get older it is more likely to have blood pressure increase.   Many people don’t even know they have high blood pressure or hypertension.   The American Heart Association notes at first there are “no obvious symptoms to indicate something is wrong, but HBP can lead to heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.”    A relative was asking what they could do diet wise to help lower their blood pressure.   We had already discussed the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).   (See:   Best Diets for Healthy Eating in 2024 .) and physical activity.    Diet wise, they were cutting back on sodium and increasing potassium foods but were wondering if there were anything else like any drinks that could help lower blood pressure?  ...
Read more

How to eat for better sleep

Image
Having trouble sleeping?   Are there foods you can eat that would help you sleep?   My husband sent me an interesting article, 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep . According to CDC , “about 1 in 3 adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day.”   A lot of Americans have problems sleeping, about 50-70 million Americans.   You probably heard that drinking warm milk before bed helps one sleep?   Is this true?   What eating habits really do help you get to sleep and stay asleep? Sleep and hunger Did you know that getting a good night’s sleep affects hunger hormones in your body?   A good night’s sleep can lead to less snacking the next day as it keeps hunger at bay.   A professor of nutrition at Columbia University, Marie-Pierre St-Onge, says, “If you eat better, you sleep better and be more refreshed.   And that helps you make better decision for your diet.”      Some tips to ea...
Read more