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Facts: Why fiber is important

Why is fiber important? Whole , oatmeal, , cornmeal, sure to follow the directions and Including fiber in your is good for bulgur, , brown , and even enough fluids to remain your in lots of ways. It can: popcorn are all whole grains. hydrated. • Reduce the risk of and A refined grain has been milled, so • Buy unprocessed when type 2 . only the middle layer (endosperm) is left. you can. processing often • Lower the risk of several forms of Milling removes much of the . removes fiber. . “Enriched” flour has had some of the added back, but not the fiber. Read food labels • Improve cholesterol and Look for the “” content on pressure. How much fiber do I need? food labels. Good sources of fiber have • Help regulate your digestion. The American Heart Association at least 10% of the “percent daily value” • Help you feel fuller, so you may recommends between 25 and 38 grams for fiber. To find whole-grain foods, eat less. of fiber a day in a well-balanced diet. look for the words whole wheat or whole Since most people only consume about grain in the ingredient list. “Multigrain,” What is fiber? half that amount of fiber, try these “wheat,” and “” do not Fiber is the part of foods that our suggestions to increase the fiber in mean . If you are eating bodies can’t digest or absorb. It is found your diet. gluten-free foods, be sure to the in , , beans, peas, , label for fiber content. nuts, , and whole grains. Adding more fiber to your diet There are 2 kinds of dietary fiber: • Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and Facts Nutrition Facts Serving Size 2/3 cup (55g) insoluble and soluble. We benefit vegetables every day. Servings Per Container About 8 8 servings per container from both. Serving size 2/3 cup (55g) • Try more recipes with beans, peas, Amount Per Serving Soluble fiber comes from , some barley, lentils, quinoa, bulgur, or Calories 230 Calories from 72 Amount per serving vegetables, , beans, peas, lentils, brown rice. % Daily Value* Calories 230 Total Fat 8g 12 % and barley,. When mixed with liquid, it • Choose breads, , tortillas, and % Daily Value* 1g 5% forms a gel, which helps control blood Total Fat 10% crackers that list a whole grain as Trans Fat 0g 8g 5% and reduces cholesterol. the first ingredient on the label. Cholesterol 0mg 0% Saturated Fat 1g Insoluble fiber comes from fruits, grains, • 160mg 7% Trans Fat 0g Make at least half of your grain Total 12 Cholesterol 0% and vegetables. It adds bulk and acts like 37g % 0mg servings whole grains. Dietary Fiber 4g 16 % Sodium 160mg 7% a brush to clean out the colon. It helps • Add fiber to your diet slowly, over 1g Total Carbohydrate 37g 13% food pass through the digestive tract 2 to 3 weeks. If you add it too fast, 3g Dietary Fiber 4g 14% more quickly and prevents constipation. Total Sugars 12g you may feel bloated or have gas A 10% Includes 10g Added Sugars 20% pains. 8% What is a whole grain? Protein 3g • Unless your doctor has told you not 20% 45% A whole grain has all three of its 2mcg 10% to, drink 6 to 8 cups of and * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. original parts: Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on Calcium 260mg 20% other fluids a day to aid digestion. your calorie needs. • The (fiber-rich outer layer). Calories: 2,000 2,500 Iron 8mg 45% • If you eat wheat bran to keep Total Fat Less than 65g 80g Sat Fat Less than 20g 25g 235mg 6% • The endosperm (middle layer). Cholesterol Less than 300mg 300mg your bowels moving, start with Sodium Less than 2,400mg 2,400mg * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a in Total Carbohydrate 300g 375g a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories • The germ (inner layer). Whole grains 1 teaspoon per . Increase slowly Dietary Fiber 25g 30g a day is used for general nutrition advice. are rich in nutrients, including fiber. to 2 to 4 tablespoons a day. If you use psyillium fiber supplements, be Note: The images above are meant for illustrative purposes to show how the new might look compared to the old label. Both labels represent fictional products. When the original hypothetical label was developed in 2014 (the image on the left-hand side), added sugars was not yet proposed so the “original” label shows 1g of sugar as an example. The image created for the “new” label (shown on the right-hand side) lists 12g total sugar and 10g added sugar to give an example of how added sugars would be broken out with a % Daily Value. Fiber Content of Foods

Serving Dietary Serving Dietary Vegetables Size Fiber (g) Fruits Size Fiber (g) Artichoke , cooked ½ cup 5g Apple, with peel 1 medium 3g * Asparagus, cooked ½ cup 2g * Apricots 1 medium 1g * Avocado ½ cup 6g Asian 1 medium 4g Baked with 1 medium 4g 1 medium 3g Beets ½ cup 2g ½ cup 1g Broccoli, cooked ½ cup 3g Cherries 10 medium 1g * Brussel sprouts ½ cup 3g Figs, raw 1 medium 1g Cabbage, cooked ½ cup 1g Honeydew ½ cup 2g , raw 1 medium 2g * 1 medium 4g Cauliflower, cooked ½ cup 1g Nectarine 1 medium 2g Chinese mustard greens ½ cup 2g * 1 medium 3g Corn, cooked ½ cup 2g ½ cup 1g , cooked ½ cup 2g , with skin 1 medium 2g Fennel, raw/sliced ½ cup 1g Pear, with skin 1 medium 5g Green beans, cooked ½ cup 2g * Prunes ½ cup 6g Lettuce, Romaine 2 cups 2g Raisins ½ cup 3g , chopped ½ cup 1g Raspberries ½ cup 4g Peas, cooked ½ cup 4g Strawberries, sliced ½ cup 2g Serving Dietary Spinach, cooked ½ cup 4g * , cooked ½ cup 4g Size Fiber (g) All Bran (100%) cereal ½ cup 9g Swiss chard, cooked ½ cup 2g Cheerios 1 cup 4g , raw 1 medium 2g Granola 1 cup 3g Turnips, cooked ½ cup 2g Fiber One ½ cup 14g Zucchini, sliced ½ cup <1g Raisin Bran 1 cup 7g Serving Dietary Beans and Nuts size Fiber (g) Shredded Wheat 1 cup 6g Almonds ¼ cup 4g Wheat bran 2 tbs 3g * Black beans, cooked ½ cup 8g Wheaties 1 cup 3g Flaxseed, ground 2 tbs 4g Serving Dietary Grains Size Fiber (g) * Kidney beans ½ cup 8g * Barley, cooked 1 cup 6g Lentils, cooked ½ cup 8g Brown rice, cooked 1 cup 4g * Lima beans, cooked ½ cup 7g Rice noodles 1 cup 2g * Navy beans, cooked ½ cup 10g Quinoa, cooked 1 cup 5g * ¼ cup 3g Pecans, chopped ¼ cup 3g Rye bread 1 slice 2g * Pinto beans, cooked ½ cup 8g Whole-wheat bread 1 slice 3g Pistachios ¼ cup 3g Whole-wheat english muffin 1 slice 3g * Soy beans (Edamame) ½ cup 5g Whole-wheat pasta, cooked 1 cup 4g * High in soluble fiber. Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

Additional resources Visit your doctor’s home page at kp.org/mydoctor. Contact your Kaiser Permanente Health Education Center or Department for health information, programs, and other resources.

This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. © 2006, The Permanente Medical Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Regional Health Education. 90346 (Revised 10/16) RL 4.5