Fitting in Fiber

(ARA) - Today’s busy American lifestyle is making it increasingly difficult to eat the right foods, exercise and stay healthy. Between work, family time, household chores and errands, there can be little free time left to focus on preparing nutritious meals. Americans might be surprised to learn, however, that they can help meet daily nutritional guidelines by fitting in fiber -- and a little goes a long way.

Current daily fiber intake is less than half of the 20 to 35 grams recommended by the American Dietetic Association. Americans ate 10 times more fiber 100 years ago than they do today. Fiber is a nutrient that many people know is important, but most aren’t willing to make major changes to their diet to incorporate it. The good news is that getting an extra boost of fiber doesn’t have to mean big changes.

“There are so many options available for enriching your diet with more fiber,” says Tanya Zuckerbrot, registered dietician, author of “The F-Factor Diet” and creator of the corresponding healthy-eating program. “To my clients who are looking for new and easy ways to add a little boost to their diets, I recommend incorporating convenient fiber-enhanced products, such as Splenda No Calorie Sweetener with Fiber, as a way to begin increasing daily intake.”

Surprisingly, many trendy, tasty foods that Americans already know and love contain fiber. Fresh fruits, whole grain cereals, nuts and even sushi are all sources by which to increase daily fiber intake, and the grams add up. Adding a couple of grams to each meal can be effective in getting consumers closer to their daily recommended intake and experiencing fiber’s benefits.

“People tend to think about fiber only in the context of digestive health rather than the other far-reaching health benefits with which it is associated, including protecting against heart disease and lowering blood cholesterol,” says Zuckerbrot.

Zuckerbrot offers the following tips to consumers to help them in their quest for a healthy lifestyle while adding a little extra fiber to their diets:

* Love sweetening a cup of morning coffee? Switch to Splenda No Calorie Sweetener with Fiber for the same great taste with a little boost of fiber -- one gram of fiber per packet.

* Need help dealing with the midday munchies? A high-fiber, high-protein afternoon snack is a healthy choice. Whole wheat crackers or an apple with peanut butter should give that added boost needed to complete the day.

* Find it hard to stay on track during the holidays? Avoid fattening chips, fried appetizers and full-fat cheeses served on refined crackers. Instead, fill up on the main course of chicken, turkey or fish and as many fiber-rich vegetables as will fit on the plate.

* Have a craving for a sweet treat? Fresh fruit is a great choice because it is not only sweet, but also filled with fiber to keep people feeling full. If nothing but chocolate will do, try a cup of sugar-free cocoa.

Courtesy of ARAcontent