194.4 Fabulous Fiber!

It was always about prunes. When I was little, any time I was constipated, prunes were the answer. And I can picture old people, as a young child, drinking prune juice whenever we ate breakfast out. And I'm not sure why my mom didn't suggest a bowl of split pea soup or a cup of raspberries instead of prunes. I never heard that. I just heard about prunes. (Since publishing this post, I did learn that it is the high sugar content in prunes plus other characteristics that make them do their work so well.)

So, I decided to go on line and get the low down on fiber. I have added a lot of foods that are high in fiber to what I eat, but I have never really known how much fiber was enough. Here's what I learned. People need between 24g -35g of fiber per day depending on how many calories they consume. One prune has not quite 2 g of fiber. To have a real impact, I think you'd have to eat a lot of prunes. And they are high in sugar. On the other hand, a cup of raspberries has 11 g of fiber and are much lower in sugar/calorie content. And artichokes, and split pea soup, and so many things that are delicious are high in fiber. And avocados, which are higher in calories and good fat are also very high in fiber. So if you haven't already, jump on the fiber band wagon. But as the articles below warn you, take it slow and easy so get your body can get used to it :).

Here are a couple of articles that will definitely inform you about the wonders of fiber. It is about so much more than just being regular!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/NU00033

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/benefits-of-fiber/fiber-basics.aspx