January 30, 2003

Prairie Fare: Add Some Fiber to Your Diet

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

At some point, you’ve probably heard that fiber is "good" for you. One of my school teachers likened fiber-rich foods to "intestinal scrub brushes." That somewhat abrasive image made eating fiber-rich foods sound as appetizing as chewing on a cardboard box or munching on some sawdust.

It turns out that fiber does even more than keep our intestinal track in good running order. Fiber can help lower blood cholesterol levels, stabilize blood sugar levels, decrease risk of several types of cancer and even help with weight loss or maintenance.

There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is found in foods like carrots, apples, oats, barley, dry edible beans and other legumes. It’s the type linked with helping stabilize blood sugar level and potentially lowering blood cholesterol level. Insoluble fiber is found in foods like wheat bran and brown rice. It tends to speed up intestinal function.

Plant-based foods are the main sources of fiber. Here’s a little quiz. Try to place the following foods in order of fiber content, from most to least:

1. 1/2 cup baked beans
2. 1/2 cup lentils
3. 1 medium apple, with skin
4. 1/2 cup broccoli
5. 1 slice whole wheat bread
6. 3/4 cup oatmeal

How did you do? They’re already in order. Baked beans top the list with 9.8 grams fiber per half cup, but lentils, another type of legume, are also a good source of fiber with 3.7 grams fiber per half cup. An apple contains about 3 grams fiber, and a half-cup broccoli follows with 2 grams fiber. Whole wheat bread contains about 1.9 grams fiber per slice. Oatmeal contains about 1.6 grams fiber per three-fourths cup.

Many cereals are good sources of fiber. Nutrition Facts labels provide fiber content information for your food choices. Most Americans fall short of fiber recommendations of 20 to 35 grams daily. Start slowly when adding fiber to your diet to offset any possible digestive upset, and drink plenty of fluids.

Fiber-rich lentils are unfamiliar to many, but they date back to Biblical times. In fact, they were so desirable that at least one person is said to have sold his birthright for a "mess of pottage," as lentils were then known.

Lentils provide more than fiber. They contain protein plus B vitamins and some minerals. They cook in about 25 to 30 minutes, require no soaking time and add variety to your menu. Here’s an interesting variation on baked beans, featuring its fiber-rich cousin, lentils.

Baked Lentils

2 1/3 c. lentils, washed
1 medium onion, chopped
5 c. water
2 tsp. salt

Combine in large pan. Heat to boiling. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Without draining, stir in the following ingredients and place in casserole:

4 strips bacon, cooked, drained thoroughly and crumbled
1/2 c. catsup
1/4 c. molasses
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. minced onion
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Makes about 12 half-cup servings. Each serving contains about 190 calories, 4 grams fat, 31 grams carbohydrate and 5 grams fiber.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu