Farrrung, Saturday, Qptpfrer 4,
Ideas For Increasing Fiber Intake
Fiber is found in fruits, vege
tables, grains, nuts, seeds, dried
beans, split peas, and lentils. It is
the part of plants that the body
cannot digest easily. Fiber in
cludes plant cell walls (cellulose)
and other substances, such as
pectin and guns. There is no die
tary fiber in meat or dairy prod
ucts.
We need to eat fiber for good
health. A high-fiber diet may
lower the risks for certain can
cers, heart disease, and even
obesity. Most Americans’ diets
contain, on the average, about 10
grams of fiber. Try to choose
foods that add up to 20-30 grams
of fiber per day.
Remember that a diet too high
in fiber (more than 35 grams per
day) is not recommended. As is
true of other nutrients, some fiber
is needed but too much can un
balance your diet.
Food
FRUITS
Apple
Apple juice
Banana
Cantaloupe
Orange
Orange juice
Peach
Raisins
Strawberries
VEGETABLES
Broccoli, cooked
Cabbage, raw
Carrot
Corn
Green beans
Onion, cooked
Peas, green
Potato, with skin
Potatoes, French fried
Tomato
Tomato juice
BREADS AND CEREALS
Bran flakes
Bread, white
Bread, whole wheat
Corn flakes
Crisp rice cereal
Oatmeal, cooked
Popcorn
Rice, white, cooked
Spaghetti and macaroni
Tortilla, corn
NUTS
Peanuts
Peanut butter
Walnuts
LEGUMES
Baked beans
Kidney beans
Lima beans
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Adding Fiber
There are many ways to add
fiber to your diet:
• Add sliced fresh fruit to ce
real, yogurt, or cottage cheese.
Use fresh fruit slices instead of
jelly on peanut butter sand
wiches.
• Use whole wheat or rye
bread in place of white bread.
Choose whole grain crackers in
place of saltines or snack crack
ers.
• Use fresh fruit and vege
tables every day. Instead of pota
to chips, try raw broccoli, cauli
flower, carrots, and green pepper
with dips. Fresh fruit in season is
a great snack or dessert.
• Use more beans and peas in
meals. Try split pea or lentil
soup, brown rice and beans, or
chiU. Use cooked dry beans or
canned beans in salads and casse
roles.
Grams of
fiber
Amount
1 medium
3/4 cup
1 medium
1/4 melon
1 medium
3/4 cup
1 medium
1/4 cup
1/2 cup 2.0
1/2 cup
1/2 cup
1 medium
1/2 cup
1/2 cup
1 medium
1/2 cup
1 medium
10 strips
1 medium
3/4 cup
3/4 cup
1 slice
1 slice
1 cup
1 cup
1/2 cup
1 cup
1/2 cup
1/2 cup
1 medium
1/4 cup 3.2
2 Tbsp
1/4 cup 2.0
1/2 cup 9.8
1/2 cup 4.3
1/2 cup 6.5
1/2 cup 5.0
1/2 cup 6.4
• Use whole wheat flour in
place of all or part of the white
flour in recipes.
• Choose whole grain cereals
for breakfast in place of refined,
sugary cereals.
• Eat potatoes with the skin.
• When you cook vegetables,
steam or stir fry until they are
tender but still crisp.
• Use sunflower seeds, sesame
seeds, or wheat germ for toppings
on casseroles, or add them to
baked goods like quick breads
and cookies. Use them when you
make meatloaf, and use rolled
oats in place of bread crumbs.
BANANA BREAD
Vi cup sugar
Vi cup egg substitute
2 cups mashed bananas (about
S)
2 cups whole wheat pastry
flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Vi teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
With mixer, beat together
sugar, eggs, and bananas. Add
dry ingredients; mix well. Pour
into loaf pan sprayed with cook
ing spray. Bake at 350 degrees
for 45 minutes. Makes 16 slices.
3.0
SIMPLE CHICKEN
PASTA SALAD
4 ounces cooked pasta twists or
bows
1 6-ounce boneless chicken
breast, poached, cooked,
and cubed, or 1 cup cubed
cooked chicken
1 10-ounce frozen package
chopped broccoli, thawed
and drained, or 1 cup chop
ped fresh broccoli
Vi cup frozen peas, thawed
1 16-ounce can stewed toma
toes
1.8
1.0
3.6
0.4
1.4
2.0
1 teaspoon Italian blend
herbs
'A teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
Combine all ingredients in
salad bowl; cover and chill for 20
minutes. Makes 3 servings.
ONE-DISH MEAL
'A pound lean ground beef
Vi cup canned or fresh toma
toes, diced
'A cup rice (uncooked)
'A cup water
Pepper to taste
1 cup cooked split peas or fro
zen thawed green peas
Put ground beef in a pan and
cook over medium heat until
browned. Drain off fat. Add to
matoes, rice, water, and pepper.
Cover and boil gently about 25
minutes or until rice is tender.
Add split peas. Heat moderately
until hot. Makes 2 servings.
EASY BROWN RICE
AND BEANS
4 tablespoons brown rice
Va cup water
7-ounce can stewed tomatoes
'A cup chopped celery (1 stalk)
'/< cup chopped onions ('A me
dium onion)
Vi cup chopped green pepper
('A medium)
7-ounce can red kidney beans
(or 'A 14-ounce can)
Pinch of garlic powder
2 drops hot sauce
Dash of pepper
Cook rice in water until water
is absorbed. In skillet cook chop
ped celery, onion, and green pep
pers slowly over low heat about
10 minutes. Add drained canned
beans, stewed tomatoes, and sea
soning. Bring to a boil, and then
simmer uncovered about 10 min
utes. Add cooked rice and mix.
Makes 2-3 servings.
3.4
Look for creative ways to add fiber to your diet.
Apples sprinkled with whole grain cereal and nuts,
and replacing part of white flour with whole wheat
flour in baking breads, muffins, and coffee cakes are
some ideas.
Featured Recipe
We need to eat fiber for good health. It is reported that a high
fiber diet lowers the risk of certain cancers, heart disease, and
obesity.
Unfortunately, most American diets contain an average of 10
grams of fiber compared to the recommended 20-30 grams of
fiber per day.
Take a look at the many recipes on this page to find ways to
incorporate more fiber in your daily diet.
Here’s a recipe that uses autumn’s abundance of apples. One
apple with peel contains three grams of fiber. Fresh fruit and
raw vegetables make great snacks to help boost fiber intake.
Remember to drink plenty of water. If you greatly increase
your fiber intake without drinking at least eight glasses of water
daily, you can compound constipation problems.
CRUNCHY APPLE MAPLE CRISP
4 large apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced (4 cups)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
VA cups firmly packed brown sugar
VA cup flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups Post Selects Maple Pecan Crunch Cereal
Toss apples with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and VA teaspoon
cinnamon. Spoon into 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish.
Mix VA cup brown sugar, flour and remaining VA teaspoon
cinnamon in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles
coarse crumbs. Stir in cereal. Sprinkle over apple mixture.
Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve
warm. Makes 8 servings. Bake: 30 minutes.
APRICOT RICE
Cook V* cup long-grain rice
with V/i cups water till tender;
drain. Drain one 8%-ounce can
apricot halves, saving 3 table
spoons syrup. Combine syrup,
cooked rice, and 2 tablespoons
orange juice concentrate. Spoon
into 2-cup baking dish; top with
apricots and bake at 375 degrees
for 20 minutes. Makes 2 servings.
YUMMY YAMS
3 medium yams
1 cup dried prunes (soaked,
drained)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons margarine
2 tablespoons fruit
(orange, apple, etc.)
Pinch of mace, pinch of ginger
'A teaspoon salt
(Turn to Page B 8)
juice