Dr. A on Fiber
 

Hi, all! I subscribe to the Daily Dish at the SBD page (it's free and really good!). Today they were talking about how to read the nutrition info on products you buy. This part on fiber was new to me and I thought I should pass it along. I knew we had to consume fiber, but did not realize we should be aiming for specific amounts.

"Try to eat four daily servings of "high"-fiber foods (at least 5 grams of fiber per serving) and four daily servings of "good"-fiber foods (at least 2.5 grams of fiber per serving). Make sure you get both soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber helps keep you regular, and soluble fiber slows down digestion and insulin production. "

Does anyone know of a good list of soluble and insoluble fibers?

You bet it's important! I use fitday to track mine and aim for 20-30 grams per day. Of course, I'm paranoid about colon cancer after my scare of the past few months and family history. :shrug:

Here's a link.
http://www.healthcastle.com/fiber-so...nsoluble.shtml

Thanks, Ruth, that is great! I used to get my fiber through bread products, and now that I am down to one carb a day, that is not working so well.

Does anyone add Metamucil to their diet as Dr. A suggested? How much do you take? I really do not think I can stomach drinking it, so I bought the capsules, but they recommend five a day for cholesterol issues--not sure how many to take.

Thanks for that link, Ruthxxx!

Ruth I am just reading that link now and they listed flax seeds can you eat them whole or is it better to grind them?

Little Chick, it's better to grind them. Keep the ground flax in the fridge or freezer as it goes rancid. Whole flax seeds pass through the system in a virgin state! You need to grind them for the nutrients!

Beachgal? ONE carb a day? What are you doing?

BG -- I take metamucil. I use the orange flavored one. It's pretty ok - -a bit grainy but I put it in water or the Crystal Lite Orange Drink. I drink it 1-2 times a day, as I am at work and don't want to have to, um, "go" here. I just make sure to have a glass of water immediately following it so that, as someone here suggested, it doesn't chunk up in my stomach!

I still can't find flax seeds though. Anyone here in the states buy them? Maybe it's like Canadian bacon [those in Canada can't find it!] :lol:

I live in Gaithersburg, MD. I can find flax seeds at Whole Foods market and Trader Joes in my area.

Hi!

Ruth, I didn't mean 1 carb...just one serving of starch. Sorry to freak you out! :eek:

Jenn, good to know. I guess I should try it or I will be swallowing pills all darn day long! Does it make you "go" pretty quickly afterwards? I have been able to find flax seeds in the health food section of Wegman's. When you come north for your family visit, stop by the Nature's market section of Wegman's and you'll find several different packages of them. They keep for a long time as long as they aren't ground.

Thanks Sarah -- haven't tried Wholefoods yet. I will stop by on the way home from work today and see.

no Laurie -- the Metamucil holds. But then again, I still think I have IBS so...No Wegman's in Staten Island either - just Pathmark! Can you grind them in a coffee mill?

Yup! You can also buy them already ground.

I have a large, unopened bag of ground flax in my refridgerator. It's very yummy. :D

what does it taste like?

I used to eat something as a kid, and people would "ewwww" at me. What was it...It was some grain. I loved it. No one else did ---

AHhhhh yes. Wheat Germ

Jenne, I've actually seen flaxseeds at Wal-Mart, in the diet aisle.

Beans are also an excellent source of fiber, and good even on phase one of the diet.

Once you get to phase two, it gets easier to get all your fiber. You're supposed to have 30 grams a day. Strawberries, if I remember correctly, are a pretty good source of fiber. So is "winter" squash--acorn squash, butternut squash, pumpkin. I think apples have plenty as well.

The cookbook specifically mentions Kellogg's All-Bran with Extra Fiber. It's OK, if a little twiggy. Uncle Sam Cereal, which I mainly have seen in health food stores is pretty good (& I think would be OK on the diet), & I think OK. But it soaks up milk like a mofo & IMO is best used as a laxative. :lol:

I'm not certain if they're technically legal, but La Tortilla Factory makes 100% whole wheat tortillas that are low-fat...they've got something like 7 or 10 g fiber per serving & 1.5g fat & 50 calories. I use them now to make breakfast tacos. (Well, a breakfast taco.)