Christine J. Patrick, County Extension Agent-EFNEP
Let’s talk about a subject we usually don’t speak of in polite company – bowel function and dietary fiber. Wait! Don’t go away! How important this is to your health.
Getting enough fiber in your diet is essential for your bowels to work properly. When your bowels do not work correctly, constipation is one of the consequences. Most patients who develop colon cancer, diverticulosis, diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, fistula, and fissure have a lifelong history of difficulty with their bowels. In most cases, they suffer from chronic habit constipation. The usual cause of chronic constipation is a lack of adequate dietary fiber, which is generally obtained from plant foods, specifically that portion of the plant which humans can’t digest.
Health experts agree that a lifelong intake of 20-35 grams, or about one ounce, of dietary fiber, is essential. The average American, both men, and women eat about 11 grams daily. A proper diet includes calories, balanced nutrition, vitamins, a minimum (if not avoidance) of dangerous foods such as saturated fats, and attention to all sources of fiber. A typical American diet of meats, dairy products, bread made from enriched or refined flours, and other starches such as potatoes, pasta, and white rice is deficient in fiber. A typical breakfast might include cereal, such as cornflakes, with coffee, juice, eggs, toast made from white bread, and meat, such as sausage or bacon. Lunch might be a sandwich featuring meat, chicken, or tuna on white bread, a pizza, or a hamburger with fries. A typical dinner may be fish or chicken, a starch, and a vegetable. All these meals are low in fiber.
A much better choice would be a breakfast that includes a bowl of high-bran cereal like All-Bran (13 gm) or Fiber 1 (18 gm), a lunch consisting of a large salad, and a supper that would include two one-cup servings of vegetables, a starch, some chicken or fish and a small salad. While you are learning to eat correctly, it is perfectly acceptable to supplement your diet with commercial sources of fiber such as psyllium – better known as products called Metamucil, Hydrocil, Konsyl, etc. – or methylcellulose, also known as Citrucel. One tablespoon of these products will provide 15 grams of the recommended 20-35 grams of fiber you need daily. These products are not laxatives but fiber substitutes. You will always be better off getting your fiber from foods, not pills. Food sources are more efficient and will supply additional nutrients. Add high-fiber foods to your diet gradually. Too much at once may produce discomfort.
Do not forget to consume 8-10 large glasses of water or the equivalent daily as you increase your fiber intake. The liquid is essential for the lubrication of the digestive tract. What are some excellent sources of dietary fiber? Try beans, peas, bran cereals, dried or fresh fruits, whole-grain grains, broccoli, nuts, bananas, carrots, and greens. The list is long. If you have access to a computer and the Internet, a search on dietary fiber will give you access to a long list of sites with good information on proper diet. Dietary guidelines recommend three or more servings of various vegetables. Count one cup of raw leafy greens or a half cup of other vegetables as a serving. Have dark-green leafy and deep-yellow vegetables often.
Eat dry beans and peas often. One-half cup of cooked dry beans or peas is a serving. It may also count as one ounce of a meat serving. Consume two or more servings of various fruits. One medium apple, orange, or banana count as a serving, as does a half cup of canned fruit or three-fourths of a cup of juice. Use fruits as desserts. Eat citrus fruits or juices, melons or berries regularly to get vitamin C. Guidelines also recommend six or more servings of grain products daily. They may be bread, cereals, pasta, or rice. A serving is one slice of bread or half a bun, bagel, or English muffin.
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