[jburress]

My husband has high triglycerides and his doctor told him to go on a high fiber - low fat diet. Does anyone have any information on this diet or books to read?

[aleka]

There was an article a while back in Womans Day Magazine about high fiber diets. Go to www.womansday.com and click onto "HEALTH" in the box to your left. Scroll down and you'll find diets, and it says "Lose Weight the High Fiber Way" I believe you can print out the article and the food plan. I also have high triglycerides. I have to stay away from any added sugar in products, white flour, white pasta, white rice, ect. I eat whole grain everything. Good luck to your husband in lowering his triglycerides.

Ali

[aphil]

There really isn't a certain meal plan that you need to follow-but some guidelines on when you eat...
For higher fiber:
Eat whole grain pasta and bread isntead of regular. Creamette makes Healthy Harvest brand spaghetti, macaroni, and rotini that is whole grain and higher in fiber. When you shop for bread-make sure it says WHOLE grain, or WHOLE wheat-not just wheat. This will add fiber and it is much healthier for everyone.

Just about any fruit or vegetable has fiber in it-when possible, like with apples and potatoes-eat the skin. You should be eating a couple fruit and veggie servings each day ANYWAY...(a lot of people get into the meat and starch diet habit-cheeseburgers, chicken and noodles, etc. and they do not eat near enough fruit and veggies.)

Avoid refined sugar filled starches that have no fiber and only have sugar and trans fats...Little Debbies, Hostess, Dolly Madison...anything bakery like is BAD....

Eat whole grain cereals-Grap-Nuts, regular Cheerieos, Bran Flakes, Shredded Wheat or Frosted Mini-Wheats...oatmeal.

Most of the time if you eat plenty of fruits and veggies, and whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals over refined-you are eating low fat ANYWAY-and you don't have to watch that so much...but as far as fat-a few guidelines are:

Choose marinara/tomato sauces over alfredo/cream sauces, avoid butters and margerines, substitute shortenings and oils when baking...applesauce and yogurt usually work well. (You just sub half of the oil/butter and replace it with one of them. It keeps the baked good moist while lowering the fat and calories. Bake or Broil meats instead of frying...choose leaner cuts of meat.

He doesn't really need to count anything-but if these guidelines are being followed, he will see an improvement.
Aphil

[MrsJim]

Fiber...

Just a correction about Grape-Nuts - despite the fact that they are hard as little rocks...they don't have all that much fiber in them...and are VERY calorie-dense to boot --here's the nutrition info for a tiny 1/2 cup of Grape-Nuts (from the USDA website):

208 calories
6.2 grams protein
a whopping 47 GRAMS OF CARBS
of which only 5 grams are fiber
7 grams sugar
1.1 gram fat

I stay away from cold cereal for the most part (not that I don't LOVE the stuff though!) and stick to old-fashioned oatmeal...but if I was eating cold cereal on a regular basis, I'd probably steer towards stuff like All-Bran; 100% Bran Flakes; Uncle Sam Cereal (granted, it's an acquired taste ); Shredded Wheat (I'd steer clear of the Frosted Mini-Wheats though); Skinner's Raisin Bran (which has far less sugar in it than Post's or Kelloggs'). Read those labels - the less sugar and more fiber the better...remember, when you add milk to your cereal bowl, you will be adding still more sugar in the form of lactose...

Over at LWL, we have a little thread called "Articles worth Reading"...there's a great article there entitled "Foods that make you look good nekkid" that gives you a good general idea of what is good and what's crap... http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...threadid=23901

Basically...the less processed your food is...the better for fat loss, and overall health...and you'll get plenty of fiber without having to stress about it!

As far as books - there are a ton out there...but I'm surprised that your doctor didn't suggest a specific diet or book himself...you might want to ask your M.D. for recommendations.

[aphil]

Okay...I am going to have to draw the line at the Uncle Sam cereal... Reminds me of and old Saturday Night Live "fake commercial" with their advertisement for a cereal called "Colon Blow."
Yeah, the Frosted Mini-Wheats have added sugar to them, but if it is the only way to get your husband to eat whole grain cereal, then you gotta do what you gotta do, it is a step up from my husband's Cookie Crisp and Fruity Pebbles....(he is the WORST eater on the planet.)
Aphil

[jburress]

Aleka, thanks for the link to Woman's Day. I printed out the diet to let my husband look over

[rover1]

I think that you should watch out for hydrogenated fats. Very bad.