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Make
breakfast a fiber-filled meal
August 5, 2009
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Looking
for a way to get more roughage into your diet? Make breakfast
a fiber-filled way to start the day.
Breakfast is a natural time to work in a hefty dose of the
insoluble fiber you need to keep your gastrointestinal tract
happy and prevent such problems as diverticulosis, constipation
and hemorrhoids.
One reader recently wrote to me saying that he expected his
breakfast cereal to provide most of his daily fiber.
Is this a good idea? The answer is “yes,” with
an important caveat.
It’s highly unlikely – and possibly unwise –
to get a full day’s recommended fiber intake at one
meal. Most people wouldn’t reasonably be able to eat
enough whole foods at one meal to reach their recommended
daily fiber intake.
And too much fiber at one time, including from fiber supplements,
may cause unpleasant symptoms such as gas and bloating. Insufficient
fluids can exacerbate problems, too.
Getting more fiber is important.
Most of us get half, at best, of the amount of fiber we should
eat every day. The Institute of Medicine estimates that adult
men under age 50 need 38 grams of fiber per day, and adult
women need about 25.
The recommendation is 30 grams for men and 21 grams for women
over age 50. The rule of thumb for children over age 2 is
the child’s age plus five grams.
You also need a mix of fiber, including the soluble fiber
that comes from fruits, vegetables and beans. Soluble fiber
helps lower blood cholesterol levels and control blood sugar.
So don’t rely on breakfast alone to get the fiber you
need. Spread it out over the day, and be sure to eat your
fruits and vegetables.
That said, breakfast cereals – and whole grain breakfast
breads – can give you a substantial start on your fiber
needs for the day.
Any brand of shredded wheat is a good choice. One cup contains
about six grams of fiber – mostly the insoluble kind
that adds bulk to your stool mass.
One cup of raisin bran contains about eight grams of fiber.
Other high-fiber breakfast cereals include Grape Nuts, All-Bran,
bran flakes, and many others.
Don’t forget cooked cereals. Oatmeal contains about
eight grams of fiber in one cup (dry). The fiber is an even
split between soluble and insoluble.
When you shop for breakfast cereals, check ingredient labels
and choose those with a whole grain as the first ingredient.
Look for cereals with at least five grams of fiber or more
per serving.
Mix it up by getting fiber from breakfast breads, too. Use
oatmeal and bran cereals to make muffins, or eat whole wheat
or multigrain toast.
Two pieces of 100 percent whole wheat toast contain about
six grams of fiber.
Bran muffins vary in fiber content, depending upon the size
of the muffin and the recipe. If you buy ready-made muffins,
check the ingredient list and nutrition facts label.
Look for muffins with the most fiber and least number of calories.
Whole grain flour should be the first ingredient.
Boost the fiber in a bowl of cereal by adding fresh or dried
fruit, including dried cranberries, raisins or cherries, sliced
bananas or peaches, a handful of berries or chopped apples
or pears.
I like to put cantaloupe cubes in my morning cereal. Another
option: top a bowl of fresh fruit salad with a quarter cup
of your favorite whole grain cereal and a scoop of nonfat
yogurt.
Eat these high-fiber breakfast foods, including cereal, any
time of day, including for snacks. Breakfast-for-dinner works,
too.
Use those favorite breakfast foods to boost your fiber intake
all day, every day.
Suzanne
Havala Hobbs is a licensed, registered dietitian and clinical
associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and
Management and the Department of Nutrition in the UNC Gillings
School of Global Public Health. Send questions and comments
to suzanne@onthetable.net.
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