by Patti Regehr

There is a great deal of debate over what’s best for you — a diet that is high in carbohydrates and low in fat or one that is rich in fat yet low in carbs. I’ll leave it to another day to discuss the merits of these two opposing views and, instead, focus on something that most dieticians, diet doctors and even diet faddists can agree on. Fiber is good for you.

Just how good is still debatable but it’s hard to find a health expert who wouldn’t agree that most of us should have more fiber in our diet. Even the two leading yet opposing diet gurus –Dr. Dean Ornish who advocates a diet high in whole grains and the late Dr. Robert Atkins, who prescribed a diet high in animal fat and protein, agreed on the need for more fiber in our diets.

Fiber, which my mom used to call “roughage” is the non-digestible material found in plants including fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains and seeds. Because it is not digested, its nutrients are not absorbed into the blood stream and therefore don’t provide the body with any calories. It’s also completely devoid of carbohydrates and fat, though, the mere fact that a food has fiber doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s good for you and it’s certainly not proof that the food will help you loose weight. Virginia peanuts, for example, contain a generous 2.4 grams of fiber per ounce. While peanuts can be a healthy part of your diet, it’s also important to point out that an ounce of raw peanuts has 13 grams of fat and 160 calories. Eat too many peanuts and you’ll gain weight, regardless of how much fiber you may be getting.

Most experts agree that you should get between 20 and 30 grams of fiber a day and the USDA, which is pretty conservative when it comes to health claims, acknowledges that fiber may lower the risk of both heart disease and some types of cancer. Most Americans get about half as much fiber as they should.

And, as your mother probably already told you, it can also improve your “regularity” which is a euphemistic way of saying that it helps you avoid constipation.

It isn’t clear how much of the benefit from a fiber rich diet comes from the fiber itself or the fact that fiber tends to displace fat and simple carbohydrates. Though it’s possible to eat a diet that is high in fat, sugar and fiber, people who eat a lot of fiber rich foods are more likely to also eat less fat and sugar. This correlation was born out in a recent study published in the Lancet (www.lancet.com) that people who ate a more fiber rich diet were also more likely to exercise more, smoke less and consume less alcohol and red meat. Still, the study found that those who eat the most fiber had a 27% lower risk of adenomas which are benign precursors to colon cancer.

There are actually two types of fiber. Soluble fiber, which is found in oats, barley, rye, dried beans, carrots, apples, black eyes peas, pinto beans, brown rice and oranges, has been shown to help lower cholesterol and blood sugar. Insoluble fiber (or roughage) helps keep bowels regular and prevents constipation. Insoluble fiber, which doesn’t dissolve in water and therefore helps add “bulk” to our stool, resulting in better regularity, can be found in cereals, wheat bran and the stalks and peels of fruits and vegetables, strawberries, bananas, pears, green beans, broccoli, and peppers. Many vegetable and fruit sources contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.

There is some controversy over whether fiber supplements are a good idea. Many nutritionists argue that most people don’t need to take supplements as long as they eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Still, product like Metamucil can provide a significant amount of fiber.

To add fiber to your diet (and reduce your intake of simple

carbohydrates) chose whole foods over processed foods. Whole wheat bread is better than white bread, brown rice is better than while rice. Whole fruits are better than juice.

Distilled alcohol and wine, I’m afraid to say, doesn’t have any fiber although beer has .7 gram per 12 ounces and you’ll get 1.4 grams from a Bloody Mary from six ounces of tomato juice and a large stalk of celery. And, contrary to what some people in Silicon Valley may believe, chewing on fiber optic cables will not improve your vision.

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