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When making a food choice decision, don't worry about choosing a specific type of fiber; eating enough fiber is more important! Since dietary fiber is found only in plant products (fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and legumes), these are essential to a healthy diet  If you eat at least 6-9 servings of fruits and vegetables and six servings of grain products per day (at least three of which are whole grains), you are very likely meeting your fiber requirements.

Ways to Increase Fiber Intake

• Choose whole fruits and vegetables (with peels when possible) instead of juices.
• Replace white flour with whole-wheat flour in all baked goods.
• Select whole-grain bread, pasta and cereals in place of similar processed versions.
• Choose brown rice over white rice.
• Replace meat with alternate protein sources such as beans, lentils or other legumes.

Take-Home Points

The recommendations for daily fiber intake call for about 25 grams for women and 35 grams for men, but research shows many people are getting only about 10 grams. Since the health benefits of different types of fiber vary, the best advice is to eat a variety of plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Worry less about targeting specific types of fiber and focus more on getting your daily requirement from as many different foods as possible. Talk to your doctor for additional information.

Find Your Favorite Fiber

Need to add more fiber to your diet? Here’s a list of popular fibrous foods along with their contribution to that 25-35 gram daily recommendation for fiber intake, courtesy of the Mayo Clinic:

Donald L. Hayes, DC, graduated from Western States Chiropractic College in 1977 and is the author of five health and wellness books including his latest, Weight Loss to Wellness. To learn more, visit www.greensfirst.com.