Monday, March 12, 2007

Ideal Quantity of Fiber Intake

Sometimes we hear people go to the extreme extent just to get a few pounds off. Examples of methods some of us willingly go through to not be ‘fat’ or overweight are crash diet, improper exercise or even diet pills. What I feel interesting is that we don’t really have to go that far to look good. It is just in front of our eyes, it has been there since ages, it is called FIBER. Food with fiber can help us digest what we eat better, and therefore helps reduce our weight naturally. We know lots of food with fiber but do we really know how much we should really take, and do we also know how much fiber in each unit of food? Well, now that we realize that fiber is good, I think I should share some information regarding FIBER. Here are some informative facts I have gathered.

In the year of 2002, Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences Research Council has come up with what is called a Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) from their scientific research. Most dietitian recommend between 19 to 38 grams of fiber per day, depending on age and gender of an individual.

Eating fruits, vegetables, cereal is very much encouraged. However, intake of these items should be in the right amount. Too much of them could cause diarrhea. And of course, for those with chronic diseases, doctors’ consultation is advised. Although fiber is good to help reduce and maintain proper weight, we should not ignore other sources of food, food with carbohydrate, protein, minerals and even fat.

For those who would like to know how much fiber you should take, the following is a reference for you and your family. [Read more]

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