How to get the fiber you need
Q: The recommendation for adults is to get around 20 to 40 grams of fiber a day -- but that’s hard to do. Is it really necessary? -- Francis T., Kalamazoo, Michigan
A: You’re right that our drive-thru approach to food these days makes it difficult to ingest enough fiber to keep your gut biome happy, tamp down inflammation, and bolster your immune system. But that’s not only because so much of our food is over-processed or fiber-free. A report in the journal Science says that because of our modern eating habits, folks are losing the gut bacteria that can digest the cellulose in fiber we do eat. That matters because those gut bacteria help convert cellulose into “food” for all the other good-for-you microbes in your intestinal tract.
There’s a solution. You can make food choices that nurture your gut bacteria and deliver the fiber your body needs. Unfortunately, most folks only get 15 grams of fiber a day. The recommendation is for up to 38 grams, depending on age and gender.
You may get a third to a half of a day’s fiber from a cup of beans; a cup of barley along with 1 cup of peas; or a cup of raspberries, an avocado, and 2 ounces of almonds. Getting three fruit servings a day and loads of greens and whole grains also will do the trick.
There are far-reaching benefits. Not only does enough fiber help stabilize blood sugar levels, control lousy LDL cholesterol, tamp down inflammation and help control weight, but a new study found that when the gut biome has a good supply of butyrateproducing bacteria, the risk of developing an infection that sends you to the hospital falls by up to 25%. You can help those bacteria thrive by eating fiber-rich steel-cut oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and dark chocolate. Bonus: For fiber supplement information, check out iherb. com’s blog “4 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Skip Your Fiber Supplement.”