Fiber is an incredibly important nutrient with a long list of benefits, and yet, for some reason not enough people are consuming it.
The average American eats 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day, according to a Feb. 27, 2019, Harvard Health blog post written by registered dietitian Katherine D. McManus.
This is a noticeable amount below the recommended dietary fiber intake for Americans. Males should aim to eat around 38 grams per day, while females should aim for around 25 grams per day, according to the same source.
Fiber can be found in plant foods, like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains, such as bread or rice, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
So, what is fiber and what does it do? You’ve probably heard before that it helps with constipation and digestion and that is one function, but it turns out that fiber is more than just a digestive aid.
Fiber is a nutrient found in plants that your body can’t absorb or digest, according to a Mayo Clinic article.
That may sound bad, but it’s good that your body can’t digest fiber because it softens and increases the size and weight of your stools, making it easier to pass, according to the same source.
Fiber also stimulates certain responses in the digestive tract that trigger reactions in the brain that lead to the reduction of hunger and the induction of satiety, according to a review from the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.
This is good because it means you don’t have to eat as much. If you don’t have to eat as much, then you don’t have to buy as much food, which can save money.
It isn’t just useful for digestion, research has consistently shown fiber to have a myriad of benefits.
Fiber consumption has also been found in clinical trials to lower cholesterol and systolic blood pressure, according to a meta-analysis from the Lancet journal.
Observational studies have also shown an association between higher fiber intake and lower rates of colorectal cancer, stroke incidence, type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease, along with a 15-30% decrease in all-cause mortality, according to the same source.
If you are trying to lose weight, it’s also a great idea to eat foods with fiber because the less hungry you are, the less likely you are to eat food, which can aid in weight loss.
We all know that we should be eating fruits and vegetables, but healthcare professionals don’t always have time to explain exactly why.
There are a multitude of reasons why you should be eating fruits and vegetables, such as their vitamin and mineral content, for example, but high fiber content is a very compelling reason.
Along with fiber, most Americans don’t eat enough fruit. Around 80% of Americans eat less than the recommended amount of fruit per day, which is about a cup of fruit per 1000 calories consumed, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
The same thing can be said about vegetables. The average American eats only 1.4 cups of vegetables per day, while the recommended amount is 2.5 cups for an average diet (which is about 2000 calories), according to the same source.
The proverb “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” might be slightly off from dietary recommendations of fruit consumption, but it gets the point across that you should eat more produce to see better health outcomes.
Without consuming fruits and vegetables, you’re missing out on a lot of potential benefits from fiber that can possibly increase longevity.
Fiber can indeed be obtained from grains, which Americans typically consume enough of, but this usually comes from more refined grains over whole grains, according to MyPlate.gov.
One of the main differences between refined grains and whole grains is that refined grains have the fiber, along with some of their vitamins and minerals, according to the same source.
A couple of simple ways to eat whole grains over refined grains are to get whole wheat bread instead of white bread or to get brown rice instead of white rice.
As for fruit and vegetables, even if it means just adding one or two potatoes to your diet or an extra apple or banana every day, it is likely you should eat more fruits and vegetables than you do.
Whether it’s from fruit, vegetables, or whole grains, it is certain that an increase in the daily fiber intake of Americans is a step in the right direction towards a healthier American lifestyle and eating.
