I have a feeling this was our favorite week so far! YES? Now that we are rested it is time to fill out our survey for week 3 (you have completed one fourth of the challenge so far!!). Just a few things first...
- The mystery challenge last week (TEMPLE) was worth 5 points so you can have a total of 65 points if you had a perfect week. This next week (and every week after) - it will only be worth 3 points- sorry if that was confusing!
- The next weekly challenge is GET DAILY RECOMMENDED FIBER each day (Men 30-38 grams/day, Women 21-25 grams/day. The younger you are the more you need in that range.) I will add more info about that from this week's cheerleader, Sara Greenwood, at the end of this email. THANKS SARA!
- MYSTERY CHALLENGE is this week. It is worth 3 points.
- Have a great week! Be happy and keep getting healthy!!! I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!
The Necessity of Fiber in Your Diet
What is fiber?
: mostly indigestible material in food that stimulates the intestine to peristalsis—called also bulk, dietary fiber, roughage (Merriam-Webster 2011)
- Soluble fiber attracts water and turns to gel during digestion. This slows digestion. Soluble fiber is found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables. Soluble fiber may help lower cholesterol, which can help prevent heart disease.
- Insoluble fiber is found in foods such as wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains. It adds bulk to the stool and appears to help food pass more quickly through the stomach and intestines. (NIH 2011)
What foods contain fiber?
Dietary fiber — found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes — is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation.
Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, corn, or another cereal is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal and grits are all grain products. There are two main types of grain products: whole grains and refined grains.
Whole grains contain the entire grain – the bran, germ and endosperm. Examples include whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, whole cornmeal, brown rice and bulgur.
Refined grains have been milled (ground into flour or meal) which results in the bran and germ being removed. This process removes much of the B-vitamins, iron and dietary fiber. Some examples of refined grains are wheat flour, enriched bread and white rice. (AHA 2011)
Why should I be conscience of my fiber intake?
Fiber can provide other health benefits as well, such as lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease. (Mayo 2011) It improves laxation, reduces risk of coronary artery disease, assists in maintaining normal blood glucose levels. (Dept of Agriculture 2011)
Grains are also important sources of many nutrients:
- B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate) play a key role in metabolism.
- Folate (folic acid), one of the B vitamins, helps the body form red blood cells.
- Iron is used to carry oxygen in the blood.
- Magnesium is a mineral used in building bones and releasing energy from muscles.
- Selenium is important for a healthy immune system. (AHA 2011)
Some diseases are decreased or prevented with proper intake of fiber
· Diverticular Disease
o Diverticular disease is a disorder in which bulging pouches (diverticula) in the gastrointenstinal wall push the mucosal lining through the surrounding muscle, usually occurring in the colon. These pouches can become inflamed and cause complications, such as obstruction, infection, and hemorrhage…Fiber strengthens the bowel lumen and aids in peristalsis which in turns allows the bowel to clean out fecal residue that if left behind may cause inflammation in the diverticuli. (Moreau 2001, p 928)
· Cardiovascular Disease
- When eaten regularly as part of a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and
cholesterol, soluble fiber has been associated with increased diet quality and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Soluble or viscous fibers modestly reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol beyond levels achieved by a diet low in saturated and trans fats and cholesterol alone. Oats have the highest proportion of soluble fiber of any grain. Foods high in soluble fiber include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp. - Insoluble fiber has been associated with decreased cardiovascular risk and slower progression of cardiovascular disease in high-risk individuals. Dietary fiber can make you feel full, so you may eat fewer calories. Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole-wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, rye, rice, barley, most other grains, cabbage, beets, carrots, Brussels sprouts, turnips, cauliflower and apple skin. (AHA 2011)
How much fiber do I need?
- Males: 30-38 grams of fiber each day
- Females: 21-25 grams of fiber each day
(The Department of Agriculture 2011)
HIGH FIBER FOODS LIST with TOTAL FIBER GRAMS (g)
| Fresh & Dried Fruit | Serving Size | Fiber (g) |
| Apples with skin | 1 medium | 5.0 |
| Apricot | 3 medium | 1.0 |
| Apricots, dried | 4 pieces | 2.9 |
| Banana | 1 medium | 3.9 |
| Blueberries | 1 cup | 4.2 |
| Cantaloupe, cubes | 1 cup | 1.3 |
| Figs, dried | 2 medium | 3.7 |
| Grapefruit | 1/2 medium | 3.1 |
| Orange, navel | 1 medium | 3.4 |
| Peach | 1 medium | 2.0 |
| Peaches, dried | 3 pieces | 3.2 |
| Pear | 1 medium | 5.1 |
| Plum | 1 medium | 1.1 |
| Raisins | 1.5 oz box | 1.6 |
| Raspberries | 1 cup | 6.4 |
| Strawberries | 1 cup | 4.4 |
| Grains, Beans, Nuts & Seeds | Serving Size | Fiber (g) |
| Almonds | 1 oz | 4.2 |
| Black beans, cooked | 1 cup | 13.9 |
| Bran cereal | 1 cup | 19.9 |
| Bread, whole wheat | 1 slice | 2.0 |
| Brown rice, dry | 1 cup | 7.9 |
| Cashews | 1 oz | 1.0 |
| Flax seeds | 3 Tbsp. | 6.9 |
| Garbanzo beans, cooked | 1 cup | 5.8 |
| Kidney beans, cooked | 1 cup | 11.6 |
| Lentils, red cooked | 1 cup | 13.6 |
| Lima beans, cooked | 1 cup | 8.6 |
| Oats, rolled dry | 1 cup | 12.0 |
| Quinoa (seeds) dry | 1/4 cup | 6.2 |
| Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup | 8.4 |
| Pasta, whole wheat | 1 cup | 6.3 |
| Peanuts | 1 oz | 2.3 |
| Pistachio nuts | 1 oz | 3.1 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 1/4 cup | 4.1 |
| Soybeans, cooked | 1 cup | 8.6 |
| Sunflower seeds | 1/4 cup | 3.0 |
| Walnuts | 1 oz | 3.1 |
| Vegetables | Serving Size | Fiber (g) |
| Avocado (fruit) | 1 medium | 11.8 |
| Beets, cooked | 1 cup | 2.8 |
| Beet greens | 1 cup | 4.2 |
| Bok choy, cooked | 1 cup | 2.8 |
| Broccoli, cooked | 1 cup | 4.5 |
| Brussels sprouts, cooked | 1 cup | 3.6 |
| Cabbage, cooked | 1 cup | 4.2 |
| Carrot | 1 medium | 2.6 |
| Carrot, cooked | 1 cup | 5.2 |
| Cauliflower, cooked | 1 cup | 3.4 |
| Cole slaw | 1 cup | 4.0 |
| Collard greens, cooked | 1 cup | 2.6 |
| Corn, sweet | 1 cup | 4.6 |
| Green beans | 1 cup | 4.0 |
| Celery | 1 stalk | 1.1 |
| Kale, cooked | 1 cup | 7.2 |
| Onions, raw | 1 cup | 2.9 |
| Peas, cooked | 1 cup | 8.8 |
| Peppers, sweet | 1 cup | 2.6 |
| Pop corn, air-popped | 3 cups | 3.6 |
| Potato, baked w/ skin | 1 medium | 4.8 |
| Spinach, cooked | 1 cup | 4.3 |
| Summer squash, cooked | 1 cup | 2.5 |
| Sweet potato, cooked | 1 medium | 4.9 |
| Swiss chard, cooked | 1 cup | 3.7 |
| Tomato | 1 medium | 1.0 |
| Winter squash, cooked |
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