How much fiber should you consume? Is there more than one kind of fiber? What foods contain fiber? Test your knowledge about fiber by taking this quiz.
1. Experts say that fiber can be beneficial to our health if we consume how many grams a day?
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2. Fiber is found in naturally stringy vegetables and meats such as flank or skirt steak.
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Forget stringy and forget meats. Fiber comes from plants and is contained in most foods with complex carbohydrates, including many fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grain cereals and breads.
3. Which of the two types of fiber is most important to consume?
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You need both and, luckily, many high-fiber foods contain both. Insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve in water, is found in cereals, whole grain products, and some vegetables. It helps push food through the digestive tract and maintains a healthy digestive system. Soluble fiber, which forms a gel when mixed with water, is found in oats, peas, beans, certain fruits, and psyllium (a grain), and can lower blood cholesterol levels.
4. Which of the following foods contains the least amount of fiber?
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Don't be fooled by iceberg lettuce because it is crunchy; it contains less than 1 gram of fiber. The tomato sauce contains 2.6 grams, a surprising amount. The pumpkin seeds contain a whopping 10 grams of fiber.
5. Switching from a low-fiber to a high-fiber diet is easily done within a few days and will provide immediate benefit.
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Whoa there! Add high-fiber foods to your diet gradually. To add them overnight can cause bloating, gas, discomfort, or more serious problems. And if you are adding lots of bran and other fibers, drink plenty of fluids. Otherwise, the bran can absorb most of the water in your intestines and cause an obstruction.
6. The typical American eats how many grams of fiber daily?
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12 to 17 grams is what we eat, according to 2008 statistics from the American Dietetic Association.
7. A high-fiber diet can lower your:
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Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol, the American Heart Association says. But to make the most of the fiber in your diet, your meal plan should also be low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
8. Which is the champion of fiber content among these veggies?
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Beans are fiber-rich, even better than peas (2.4 grams per half cup) and carrots (2 grams per half cup cooked). In half-cup portions, here is a rundown of the grams of fiber in various types of beans: kidney, 6.9; navy, 6.5; pintos, 5.9; lentils, 5.2; lima, 4.3; and split peas, 3.1.
