FEBRUARY 16, 2024
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AUGUSTAMEDICALEXAMiNER
FOODISMEDICINE
HAVING A BAD DAY?
Tasty tips from registered dietitians with the Augusta Dietetic District Association
THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE.
SHOW YOUR HEART SOME LOVE WITH A HIGH FIBER DIET by Carly Clark, BS, BSFCS, Dietetic Intern It’s American Heart Month! Nutrition is one of the key ways to improve heart health. Eating more fiber is a great way to show your heart some love. What is fiber? Fiber is a nutrient found in plant foods that is not broken down in the body. Fiber comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is helpful for slowing digestion. Soluble fiber is also good for our heart as it assists in maintaining blood sugar and lowering cholesterol levels. This type of fiber is found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Insoluble fiber helps to provide bulk to our stool and keeps us regular. Insoluble fiber can be found in foods like whole grains, beans, berries, and vegetables. Fiber and Heart Health Fiber plays many roles in supporting heart health: lowering cholesterol, reducing inflammation, and lowering blood pressure. Foods high in soluble fiber may help lower “bad” cholesterol levels, also known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Fiber also makes meals more filling, which can be helpful in weight management. How much fiber should I be eating? The average American eats 10 to 15 grams of fiber a day, which is not enough! Men aged 50 years and younger should aim to eat 38 grams of fiber daily, and men over age 50 should aim to eat 30 grams of fiber daily. Women aged 50 years and younger should aim to eat 25 grams of fiber daily, and women over age 50 should aim to eat 21 grams of fiber daily. When in-
creasing fiber content in your diet, try to drink more water and add in fiber containing foods slowly to prevent bloating, gas, diarrhea, or constipation. Ways to Add Fiber Here are a few tasty ways to add fiber into your diet: • Choose whole wheat and whole grain products rather than white and refined grain products. This could mean eating whole wheat toast instead of white toast, or corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. • Try high fiber snacks like popcorn, carrots and hummus, trail mix with nuts, or steamed edamame. • Eat fruit and vegetables with skin on when possible. • Include a variety of foods in your daily diet like avocado, barley, beans, blackberries, bran flakes, broccoli, carrots, corn, green peas, pear, pumpkin, raspberries, sweet potatoes, or turnip greens. • Add nuts or seeds to oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, smoothies, or fruit. What about fiber supplements? While fiber supplements are generally safe, it’s better to get most fiber from food. Fiber supplements lack the vitamins and minerals found in plant food sources. Getting fiber from food can help prevent unwanted side effects. Start celebrating your heart this February and enjoy a variety of beans, greens, and nectarines that are high in fiber! +
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