It is obvious that dietary fiber has significant role in keeping your optimum health and, furthermore, has ability to prevent you from cancer.  The question is: can we estimate the content of fiber in our foods?

If you want to estimate your dietary fiber intake, consult the following charts in which divide fiber into the two basic types: insoluble and soluble.

Insoluble Fiber Content of Foods

Unless otherwise indicated, all values for vegetables and pasta reflect fiber content of the cooked product. Values determined by High Carbohydrate and Fiber Research Foundation, Lexington, Kentucky.

Soluble Fiber Content of Foods

# Bran: Note that other wheat products such as whole wheat or white bread, pasta, and graham crackers are insignificant sources of soluble fiber. Brown and white rice also contain very little soluble fiber.

Unless otherwise indicated, all values for vegetables and pasta reflect fiber content of the cooked product. Values determined by High Carbohydrate and Fiber Research Foundation, Lexington, Kentucky.

For deeper information related to dietary fiber, visit:

• Dietary Fiber Prevents You from Cancer.

(This part is continuation of the previous article)

The soluble forms of fiber have value in control of blood cholesterol and blood sugar. Fruits, vegetables, beans, and oat bran are good sources of these forms of fiber.

The soluble fibers don’t lower blood cholesterol nearly as much as the cholesterol’s sources raise it. But a diet rich in fruits and vegetables has a mild cholesterol-lowering effect, thanks to the fiber. Lower blood cholesterol, of course, means lower rates of heart disease.

These soluble forms of fiber have also revolutionized the treatment of diabetes. New research has shown that a high-fiber diet helps diabetics control their blood sugar better than the diets used in the past. Their insulin requirements often drop on a high-fiber diet. Changes in insulin doses should be made only on a doctor’s instructions.

Fiber’s ability to keep the blood sugar under control may very well help people who do not have diabetes. A low-fiber meal can cause the blood sugar level to rise quickly, then drop abruptly. Headaches, hunger, and irritability can set in as a result.

But fiber can guard against these symptoms by preventing sharp swings in the blood sugar level.

How to Estimate Fiber Content?

If you want to estimate your fiber intake, consult the chart that follow. This chart gives the total fiber content of foods.

Total Fiber Content of Foods

(Soluble and Insoluble Fiber)

Unless otherwise indicated, all values for vegetables reflect fiber content of the cooked product. Analyzes of fiber content by James W. Anderson, High Carbohydrate and Fiber Research Foundation, Lexington, Kentucky.

Find the next powerful charts in the following article:

• Estimate Your Fiber Intake