Ask Leah! The Ingles Dietitian
Sponsored: Figuring out the Fiber
Most of us, including children, do not eat enough foods with fiber. Some of the benefits of eating foods with fiber include:
- Satiety (feeling full) that may help with weight control or maintenance.
- Lowering cholesterol (particularly the low density lipoprotein - LDL - or "bad" cholesterol)
- Improving bowel health and reducing risk of diverticular disease and hemorrhoids.
- Slows the absorption of sugar for those with diabetes.
Sources of fiber: fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds and nuts, whole grains (e.g. bran, whole wheat, oats, popcorn)
How much do you need?
- Men - under 50 years old - 38 grams/day; over 50 years old - 30 gm/day
- Women - under 50 years old - 25 grams/day; over 50 years old - 21 gm/day
Some examples of foods with fiber:
- 1 medium apple w/skin - 4.5 grams
- 1 banana - 3 grams
- 1 cup raw chopped cauliflower - 2 grams
- 1 slice of whole wheat bread - 2 grams
- 1 cup cooked black beans - 15 grams
- 1 oz of almonds - 3.5 grams
Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN
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Ingles Markets Corporate Dietitian
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800-334-4936
