The Facts on Fiber

The recommended daily intake of fiber is 14 grams per 1000 calories.

Food labels use 25 grams as their daily target, as most labels base their targets on a 2000 calorie per day diet.

Soluble fiber, found in oats, barley, beans, fruits and vegetables, help lower cholesterol and manage blood sugars.

Insoluble fiber, found in fruits, vegetables and grains such as wheat, give stool it's bulk and create regularity.

Isolated fibers, like inulin cellulose and oat hull, being added to foods such as yogurt does not have the evidence to back up it's use. It's not fair to say that 5 grams of inulin added to your granola bar will have the same health benefits as getting 5 grams of intact fiber from a whole food.

Sadly, the food label will just tell you the amount of fiber in the serving, not whether or not it is intact or isolated. Read the list of ingredients to see where the fiber is coming from.

What is the take home message? Human bodies need whole foods, not foods that have been manipulated to 'have all the goodness of whole foods'.

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton