Also called: Also called: Bulk, Roughage
Fiber is a substance in plants. Dietary fiber is the kind you eat. It is in fruits, vegetables and grains. It is the part of the plant that your body can't digest. Yet it is an important part of a healthy diet. It adds bulk to your diet and makes you feel full faster, helping you control your weight. Fiber helps digestion and helps prevent constipation.
You can get fiber from whole grains, beans, nuts, fruits and vegetables. You should add fiber to your diet slowly. Increasing dietary fiber too quickly can lead to gas, bloating and cramps.
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Fiber: How to Increase the Amount in Your Diet(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/food/general-nutrition/099.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/food/improve/099.printerview.html
- Dietary Fiber: An Essential Part of a Healthy Diet(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/fiber/NU00033/METHOD=print
- Fiber: Start Roughing It!(Harvard School of Public Health) - http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fiber-full-story/index.html
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Why Is It Important to Eat Grains, Especially Whole Grains?(Dept. of Agriculture) - http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/grains_why_print.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/sp-grains_why.html
- Dietary Fiber Cuts Risk of Pregnancy Complication(07/17/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67087.html
- Fiber Supplements: Are They Safe to Take Every Day?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/fiber-supplements/AN00130/METHOD=print
- Tips to Help You Eat Whole Grains(Dept. of Agriculture) - http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/grains_tips.html
- What Foods Are in the Grain Group?(Dept. of Agriculture) - http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/grains.html
- Whole Grains: Hearty Options for a Healthy Diet(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/whole-grains/NU00204/METHOD=print
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Supermarket smarts. Beans, peas, and lentils. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18717031&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Food scoring for better nutrition. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18717026&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Update on the management of adults with chronic idiopathic constipation. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18671930&tool=MedlinePlus
- Dietary Fiber -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=dietary+fiber[mh]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Nutrient Lists(Dept. of Agriculture) - Links to PDF - http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid=15869
- American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/
- American Heart Association - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200000
- Fiber and Your Child(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/fiber.html
- Colonic Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/colonicdiseases.html
- Constipation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/constipation.html
- Food and Nutrition - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foodandnutrition.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Dietary Fiber is the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements - http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/