Where does fiber rank in your diet?

"Can he walk at all? Or if he moves will he fall?" Black Sabbath, Iron Man

Most folks know that fiber helps keep the inside of your body flowing and, er, regular. Sorry, I just had to go there. But there's other reasons to stock up on high fiber foods, the most important being lowering the risk for diabetes and heart disease. High fiber foods also help you stay fuller, longer. Powerhouse sources of fiber include peas, kidney beans and raspberries. There are two sources of fiber: Soluble and insoluble. Each has a specific benefit to bestow upon you. You can find those benefits here.

Don't dive headfirst into a high fiber diet. If you are just starting to pay attention to the fiber in your diet add it in slowly but surely, and keep the water coming! Too much fiber too soon can cause some rather bothersome side effects such as gas (a la "Beans, beans, the magical fruit...") and bloating. Don't worry though... your body will get used to the changes in your diet and those effects will disappear. For a complete look at the benefits of dietary fiber, check out this article from the MayoClinic.

It's believed that most people eat far less than the recommended 25-30 grams of fiber in their daily diet. Perhaps that's why everyone's so tense! Next time you see someone overly cranky you can ask them if they are getting enough fiber in their diet. ;)