The Guidelines are -
In this fact sheet, a significant source of dietary fiber is defined as a food that contains a substantial amount of dietary fiber in relation to its calorie content and contributes at least 2 grams of dietary fiber in a selected serving size. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences has not set a Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for dietary fiber. However, the importance of dietary fiber has been stressed by several health organizations and the Federal Government. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans published jointly by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services recommend eating foods that have adequate amounts of fiber, and one organization, the National Cancer Institute, recommends 20 to 30 grams of fiber per day with an upper limit of 35 grams. For this list of fiber sources, the Human Nutrition Information Service, along with the Food and Drug Administration, decided to use a level of at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving. |
WHAT IS DIETARY FIBER?
Dietary fiber is a complex mixture of plant materials that are resistant to breakdown (digestion) by the human digestive system. There are two major kinds of dietary fiber - insoluble (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin) and soluble (gums, mucilages, pectins). Insoluble fiber is most frequently found in whole-grain products such as whole-wheat bread. Foods containing soluble fibers are fruits, vegetables, dry beans and peas, and some cereals such as oats.
WHY DO WE NEED DIETARY FIBER?
Insoluble fiber promotes normal elimination by providing bulk for stool formation and thus hastening the passage of the stool through the colon. Insoluble fiber also helps to satisfy appetite by creating a full feeling. Some studies indicate that soluble fibers may play a role in reducing the level of cholesterol in the blood.
HOW MUCH DIETARY FIBER DO AMERICANS EAT?
According to recent USDA surveys, the average intake of dietary fiber by women 19 to 50 years of age is about 12 grams. Intake by men of the same age is about 17 grams.
HOW CAN WE GET ENOUGH DIETARY FIBER?
Eating a variety of foods that contain dietary fiber is the best way to get an adequate amount. Healthy individuals who eat a balanced diet rarely need supplements. The list of foods will help you select those that are significant sources of dietary fiber as you follow the Dietary Guidelines. The list of sources was derived from the same nutritive value of foods tables used to analyze information for recent food consumption surveys of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Information Service.
HOW TO PREPARE FOODS TO RETAIN DIETARY FIBER
Dietary fiber can be reduced in foods during preparation and cooking. To retain dietary fiber:
.Serve fruits and vegetables with edible skins and seeds. .Use whole-grain flours.
WHAT IS A SERVING?
The serving sizes used on the list of sources of dietary fiber are only estimates of the amounts of food you might eat. The amount of nutrient in a serving depends on the weight of the serving. For example, 1/2-cup of a cooked vegetable contains more fiber than 1/2 cup of the same vegetable served raw, because a serving of cooked vegetable weighs more. Therefore, the cooked vegetable may appear on the list while the raw form does not. The raw vegetable provides dietary fiber - but just not enough in a 1/2-cup serving to be a significant source of dietary fiber.
WHAT ARE SOURCES OF DIETARY FIBER?FOOD SELECTED SERVING SIZE(1)
BREADS, CEREALS, AND OTHER GRAIN PRODUCTS
Bagel, whole-wheat 1 medium Biscuit, whole-wheat 1 medium Breads, multigrain, pumpernickel, rye, white, and whole-wheat blend, whole-wheat, or whole-wheat with raisins 2 regular slices Bulgur, cooked or canned 2/3 cup English muffin, whole-wheat 1 Muffins, bran or whole-wheat 1 medium Oatmeal: Instant, fortified, prepared 2/3 cup Regular or quick, cooked 2/3 cup Pita bread, whole-wheat 1 small Ready-to-eat bran cereals 1 ounce Rolls: Multigrain 1 large Whole-wheat 1 medium
FRUITS
Apples: Dried, cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup Raw 1 medium Applesauce, unsweetened 1/2 cup Apricots, dried: Cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup Uncooked 1/4 cup Banana, raw 1 medium Blackberries, raw or frozen, unsweetened 1/2 cup Blueberries, frozen, unsweetened 1/2 cup Dates, chopped 1/4 cup Fruit mixture, dried 1/4 cup Guava, raw 1 Kiwifruit, raw 1 medium Mango, raw 1/2 medium Nectarine, raw 1 medium Orange, raw 1 medium Peaches, dried: Cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup Uncooked 1/4 cup Pears: Canned, juice-pack 1/2 cup Dried, cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup Dried, uncooked 1/4 cup Raw 1 medium Prunes, dried: Cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup Uncooked 1/4 cup Raisins 1/4 cup Raspberries, raw or frozen, unsweetened 1/2 cup Strawberries, frozen, unsweetened 1/2 cup Tangelo, raw 1 medium
VEGETABLES
Artichoke, globe (french), cooked 1 medium Beans, green or lima, cooked 1/2 cup Beets, cooked 1/2 cup Broccoli, cooked 1/2 cup Brussels sprouts, cooked 1/2 cup Cabbage, cooked 1/2 cup Carrots, cooked 1/2 cup Okra, cooked 1/2 cup Parsnips, cooked 1/2 cup Peas, green, cooked 1/2 cup Potato, boiled, with skin 1 medium Snow peas, raw or cooked 1/2 cup Spinach, cooked 1/2 cup Squash, winter, cooked, mashed 1/2 cup Sweetpotato, baked or boiled 1 medium Tomatoes, stewed 1/2 cup
MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, AND ALTERNATES
Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils Beans; black-eyed peas (cowpeas), calico, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lima, mexican, pinto, red kidney, or white; cooked 1/2 cup Lentils, cooked 1/2 cup Peas, split, green or yellow, cooked 1/2 cup
Nuts and Seeds Almonds or chestnuts, roasted 2 tablespoons Peanut butter 2 tablespoons Pine nuts (pignolias) 2 tablespoons Pumpkin or squash seeds, hulled, roasted 2 tablespoons Sesame seeds 2 tablespoons Sunflower seeds, hulled, unroasted 2 tablespoons
(1) A selected serving size contains at least 2 grams of dietary fiber.
January 1990 ??
©2008 Hopkins Technology, LLC