Telling what we need to hear, that foods high in fiber are a better option than fiber supplements, Brooke Douglas R.D, C.D. is back with her first of the month nutrition advice. As usual she is right on. There is no substitute for eating the right foods.
Fiber: Whole Foods vs Supplements
It is important that you know you need a diet high in fiber. Fiber fights heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and constipation, among other ills — but how should you go about getting it? Do you change the contents of your shopping cart, sprinkle Metamucil on your cereal, invest in foods with impressive fiber-fortification claims, pop pills or all of the above?
Well, it’s more complicated than that! As a Registered Dietitian, I want people to choose high-fiber foods, but this is America, where the average person, given the choice, goes for white bread.
For many years dietitians have recommended and advocated for a diet high in intestine-regulating insoluble fiber found in leafy greens, fruit, nuts and bran cereals and cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber found in oat bran, beans and peas. Although, we continue to watch as the national daily fiber intake has plummeted for the past three decades. Just so you know, adults need between 25 and 38 grams of fiber daily, and most people only get half that. Those who favor a fast food/junk food-only diet may get as little as 5-10 grams of fiber daily.
Fiber-fortified foods are easy to spot in the grocery store and might have a positive effect on those who can’t — or won’t — reach their recommended daily fiber intake. Companies that make Yoplait, Wonderbread, Susta sweetener, Kashi pizza, Kelloggs, Polaner jams and Quaker oatmeal pancake mix, among others, have all jumped on the high-fiber bandwagon! The ‘high-fiber’ claim is getting some lift from all of the interest in whole grains as food makers attempt to promote their products as being more natural and less processed. Fiber is also getting some help from growing interest in weight maintenance solutions; including products that are high in protein and fiber (to help with feeling fuller longer).
However, fiber-fortified foods bring up their own issues. What I see as a nutritionist is people who see a chocolate bar that says it has one-third of your daily fiber and then eat three! Regardless of how we try to correct it, a significant lack of fiber points to a generally deprived diet.
Fiber supplements, available in tablet and chew form, can also be found in the pharmacy or grocery store and are usually marketed as colon or digestive system cleansers. Flaxseed oil usually sits on a nearby shelf, along with all manner of fiber-rich powders.
While it’s wise to be skeptical, these products can be effective in their specific, limited roles as guardians of digestive health. They often efficiently treat constipation and diarrhea and can have some additional overall benefits. Metamucil, for example, is a bulk laxative, the main ingredient of which is psyllium husk, a high-fiber plant derivative. Psyllium husk has been found to effectively relieve constipation, and a small amount of research has shown that psyllium husk may lower cholesterol and control diabetes. Benefiber pills and powders are made primarily from guar gum, a fiber gleaned from the seed of the guar plant that acts as a laxative. Studies have shown that guar gum may also help lower cholesterol and blood sugar, which can be helpful to diabetic patients. Other fiber-rich ingredients commonly found in supplements and fiber-fortified foods include oat bran powder, wheat bran powder, flaxseed oil, acacia powder, stevia leaf extract and larch fiber.
The epidemiological data available on fiber is strong BUT it’s still just one thing in a food. Fiber supplements also often promise major results unsupported by serious research. Packages may prematurely claim that the supplements ward off cancer or cure intestinal diseases.
I always say that any one item that makes big promises is probably the one item you don’t want to spend your money on! And while fiber supplements and fortified foods may offer some nice benefits, they’re no quick fix.
If you don’t EAT enough fiber, supplements are better than nothing — but sprinkling some flax oil on your cereal doesn’t make up for the daily trip to the fast food counter.
I like to advocate a two-pronged approach to getting your daily dose of fiber; supplements and fortified foods lack the multifaceted benefits of whole foods; whereas with real food, you get the dual benefit of both soluble and insoluble fiber, plus all the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. It’s more of a team approach.
Whereas a fiber tablet may have five grams of fiber, a cup of fresh raspberries has eight grams — almost a third of your daily requirement — as well as antioxidants and loads of vitamins C and A, among other nutrients. Simply put, naturally high-fiber food gives you more bang for your nutritional buck.
In the end, if fiber supplements must be taken when suggested by your doctor, supplements are best used in conjunction with a good diet. If you want to invest in a bottle of fiber pills or a tub of fiber-fortified yogurt, be sure to read the back label, not just the marketing claims splashed across the front. Some fiber supplements and fiber-fortified foods have as little as one gram per serving, making them a waste of money. If you’re convinced you need that extra fiber kick, find products that offer about five grams per pill or per serving but don’t let that shift the focus away from improving your diet.
Practice Progress not Perfection!
Brooke Douglas, RD, CD NutritionAuthority