Why is fiber in your diet so important?
Let's make this very practical. This is not the first time you have heard that fiber is important, so I want to not only remind you of why this important, but give you practical safe steps to get there. First, be suspicious of high fiber health claims on boxes of packaged or prepared foods. While the claim may be technically true, it may also be a distraction from other health problems with the item in question, such as high sugar or salt content. Also, to make an otherwise unhealthy product qualify for a health claim, some manufacturers are using “fiber additives” such as inulin, maltodextrin, and polydextrose. It seems doubtful that these are as healthy as natural fibers occurring in foods. Take home point: foods with a long list of ingredients should raise suspicions. Second, it's easy to add fiber without making radical changes, and just picking a few of your favorites to include on a daily rotation. Beans and le...