Comparison of Fruit & Vegetable Fiber

You may think you eat a balanced diet, but its possible you are still coming up short on a very important food, namely, fiber. Fiber is given credit for a host of protective health concerns. These include lowering the risk of hemorrhoids, constipation, colon cancer, diverticulitis, coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. When a food factor can help protect the body from so many serious problems, it should be a strategic part of every meal.

Dietary Fiber Defined

• Dietary fiber is the part of the plant that is not digested when it is eaten. Unlike other foods, they are not used to produce energy, are not stored in the body, nor do they enter the bloodstream. This makes them valuable as bulk to aid in moving waste through the intestines and bowels, which explains why fiber is so beneficial in maintaining regular bowel functioning. It is recommended that adults get 20 to 35 grams of fiber in their daily diet.

Soluble And Unsoluble Fiber

• Fiber is found in a variety of forms including cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin and “sticky” fiber. These kinds of fiber are found in both fruits and vegetables. All of these types can be categorized as being either soluble, that is, able to dissolve in water, or insoluble, which do not dissolve. Soluble fiber can be found in both fruits and vegetables, but insoluble fiber is found only in vegetables. Both types are important, and so you should eat a wide variety of both fruits and vegetables to ensure you are getting both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is beneficial because it lengthens the time the stomach keeps from emptying. This allows sugar to be released slowly, which accounts for its importance to those who have diabetes. It also binds with fatty acids. Insoluble fiber in vegetables promotes regular bowl movement and helps clear toxins from the colon.

High Fiber Fruit Sources

• Apples and oranges are excellent sources for soluble fiber. They contain pectin, which is used to help transform jelly into a gel. Pectin has also long been noted for its ability to significantly reduce “bad cholesterol” (LDL) levels while not affecting “good cholesterol” (HDL). By slowing the increase of blood glucose levels after a meal, pectin causes the body to require less insulin to lower glucose levels, making it useful for diabetics. The age-old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” remains wise advice that has scientific merit. Eat apples with the skin on to gain the most fiber benefit. In addition, place these top fiber fruits on your grocery list, too: bananas, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and coconuts.

High Fiber Vegetable Sources

• Green beans and dark green vegetables with leaves provide high sources of fiber. Cabbage, brussels sprouts and especially broccoli should be on your dinner menu often. Other vegetables that are good to eat for their fiber content are beans (baked, kidney, split, black, garbanzo, lima, snap, pole, broad and pinto), corn, potatoes, carrots, spinach, beet greens, turnip greens, collards and kale.

Eat Them Both

• To ensure your body is getting a good supply of the various types of dietary fiber, healthy servings of both fruits and vegetables should be consumed daily. Eat fruits and vegetables when they are freshest, and eat the skins of potatoes, tomatoes and other foods to get the most fiber consumption. Microwaving some vegetables that normally take a very long time to cook will not reduce the fiber content, and may help keep some vitamins in the food by quickly cooking it. When deciding to switch to a high fiber diet, gradually increase these foods into your meals. This gives your system time to adapt to the dietary change. While there isn’t any harm in “jumping right in,” you may experience some abdominal discomfort, such as gas, if you include too much fiber too fast.