Aim for 40 Grams Fiber per Day - How Foods Fight Cancer
So, where do you find the fiber you need? Animal products don’t have any.
That goes for red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products, which is
why people who center their diets on these foods often struggle with constipation.
On the other hand, plant products in their natural state have
quite a lot of fiber, which is why vegetarians rarely have any need for laxatives.
The first key to building a high-fiber diet is to eat plenty of
vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains and to avoid animal products.
But a meaty diet is not the only wrong turn you can take. Let’s say that
for breakfast you had a choice between old-fashioned oatmeal with wholegrain
toast on the one hand, and a bagel and jam on the other. The first
breakfast is loaded with fiber, but a bagel has very little. It is made from
white flour—that is, wheat flour whose fiber has been removed in the refining
process. Refining makes it soft and white, but it leaves flour almost
devoid of fiber.
If you choose whole-grain bread instead of white bread, you’ll get much
more fiber. The same is true for brown rice, which retains the grain’s tancolored
outer layer, as opposed to white rice, which has lost this high-fiber
layer in the refining process.
Generally speaking, the most fiber-rich foods are beans and vegetables,
followed by fruits and whole grains. Yes, breakfast cereals and other grain
products advertise their high-fiber content. But you’ll find surprisingly large
amounts of it in simple bean and vegetable dishes. Fiber comes in two forms:
Soluble fiber is the kind that dissolves in water, in the way that oatmeal,
for example, gets creamy as it cooks. There is also plenty of soluble
fiber in beans, barley, and several other foods. Soluble fiber is especially
known for its ability to control cholesterol levels.
Insoluble fiber, which is found in vegetables, fruit, wheat, rice, and
many other grains, is visibly different. Rice and wheat grains don’t get
“gooey” the way oatmeal does. Insoluble fiber is especially helpful for keeping
the intestinal contents moving along and fighting constipation.
From the standpoint of cancer prevention, you’ll want to get both
kinds. If your diet is rich in beans, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, you’ll
get plenty of healthful fiber. An average American gets only 10–15 grams of
fiber per day. Health authorities would like to see that number rise significantly.
A sensible and easily reached goal is 40 grams per day. Having said
that, you may wish to reach this goal gradually, rather than in one jump. It
may take a few weeks for your digestive tract to get used to the change.
Whole grains, such as brown rice and old-fashioned oatmeal, are
pretty easy to digest. You’ll find that cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli,
cabbage, and cauliflower, are easier to digest if they are cooked until
soft. If beans cause gas for you, start with smaller quantities, be sure they
are well cooked, and try different varieties.
