Fiber

Fiber is a very important part of one’s diet. A person’s digestion is regulated by fiber (American Heart Association, 1997). Fiber can be found in many foods. Checking the food labels on food will ensure that a person is getting fiber in their diet. Some foods that contain grains are popped popcorn, whole-grain bread, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain, and whole grain crackers. Each of these are whole grains. There are also enriched grains as well that include white bread, corn tortillas, white rice, white rolls, and pretzels (American Heart Association, 1997). Next, there are two different types of fiber. They are soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. According to American Heart Association  (2011), “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” (Dietary Fiber, para. 2). LDL or bad cholesterol is reduced by soluble fiber (American Heart Association, 2011). Insoluble on the other hand, helps in other ways. According to American Heart Association (2011), “Insoluble fiber has been associated with decreased cardiovascular risk and slower progression of cardiovascular disease in high-risk individuals” (Dietary Fiber, para. 3). Each person needs a different amount of fiber in their diet. The amount of calories a person needs, their age, and gender help decide what number of fiber a person needs. Kids who are much smaller than grown adults will not need as much fiber (American Heart Association, 2011). According to American Heart Association (2011), “We recommend obtaining fiber from foods rather than from fiber supplements” (Getting the right amount counts, para. 3). So, Fiber is a very important part of a person’s diet. I did not realize how much fiber made a different in keeping a person healthy until I read this article.