Words for Wednesday

Today's word is fiber. Fun, huh? Well, actually it doesn't really bring to mind anything fun at all. But, it's important and easier to find and fit into a simple diet than one might think.

"For good health, the National Cancer Institute and American Diabetes Association recommend routine consumption of high fiber foods. They suggest daily dietary fiber intake of 20 – 35 g per day. The USDA 2005 dietary guidelines recommend 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables, and a minimum of 1.5 whole grain food servings (for babies of 2 -3 years old) per day. The number of all fiber food servings increases with age. For a person of 9 years and older, the recommended whole grain serving is 3 – 6 per day.

The following are examples of one dietary fiber servings.

Example 1: One fruit and vegetables fiber servings:

• a small glass of 100% fruit or vegetable juice (3/4 cup or 6 oz)
• a medium-size piece of fruit (an orange, small banana, medium-size apple)
• 1 cup of raw salad greens
• ½ cup of cooked vegetables
• 1/2 cup of cut-up fruit or vegetables
• 1/4 cup of dried fruit
• 1/2 cup of dried beans or peas

Example 2: Whole grain fiber servings :

• 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cooked cereal
• 1 ounce dry pasta, rice or other dry grain
• 1 slice bread
• 1 small muffin (weighing one ounce)
• 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal flake"

You can read more here if you're interested.