Registered dietitian Veronica Juarez offers an apple as a good source of natural fiber during a nutritional seminar.

Story and photo by John Perry

Eat more fiber.

You’ve probably heard it before. But do you know why fiber is good for you?
Start by asking cancer survivor Alvin Wright who underwent a complete prostatectomy in February 2005.

“I was over 50, overweight and recovering from cancer surgery,” Wright said. “Right then and there, I made a vow to take better care of myself. And part of that commitment was to eat a healthier diet.

“I had heard and read about the benefits of a high-fiber diet, so I adhered to it as if my life depended on it,” said Wright, an HPD public information officer. “And maybe it did.”

As Wright entered his five-year period of watchful-waiting when recurrence of cancer is highest, he became concerned about colon cancer.

“First thing I did was put breakfast back into my morning,” Wright said. “Now my day begins with a bowl of whole-grain, whole-fiber, or Raisin Bran cereal and low-fat milk topped with a sliced banana or berries.”

Benefits of high-fiber breakfast
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” said Veronica Juarez, registered dietitian and supervisor of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic’s nutritional services. “I suggest people take a look at the health benefits that fiber brings to that meal.”

The internal cleansing effect will reduce fatigue for the rest of the day, said Juarez who answers nutritional questions on her 7:20 a.m. weekly radio program broadcast Mondays on 99.1 FM.

“Not only does fiber keep you regular, it helps you feel full and curbs your appetite. It also lowers cholesterol and reduces obesity,” she said.

The Federal Food and Drug Administration labels fiber a heart-healthy food.

Best bets for a healthy breakfast are whole-grain cereals like All-Bran Brand Buds, Fiber One, All-Bran Original, Raisin Bran, 100-Percent Bran or Spoon Size Shredded Wheat. Oatmeal is another good choice, Juarez said.

In a two-week study of 140 adults, a daily bowl of fiber-rich cereal with 5 to 10 fiber grams per serving reduced fatigue. Evidence showed that high-fiber foods are digested slowly and are less likely to cause a spike and subsequent crash in blood-sugar levels. (Source: Consumer Reports on Health, April 2006.)

Need more incentive? A high-fiber diet can even improve your sex life. (Source: The Lancet Medical Journal, May 2003.)

Fiber optics
Finding dietary fiber is easy. Along with whole grains, look for it in apples, brown rice, beans, barley, peas, carrots and most other fruits and vegetables.

What exactly is dietary fiber?

Also known as roughage, it includes all parts of plant foods that your body can’t digest or absorb. Fiber is often classified into two categories: those that don’t dissolve in water are called insoluble, and those that do are called soluble.

Insoluble fiber increases the movement of material through your digestive system and helps relieve constipation. Think bran and other whole grains. Also nuts and many vegetables are good sources.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water forming a gel-like substance. Think oatmeal. It helps whisk cholesterol from the blood, lowers glucose levels, and moves food more quickly through the intestine. You can also find generous quantities in beans, peas, apples, citrus fruits, carrots and barley.

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