How to Increase fiber in your diet !!

Getting fiber in your diet is neccessary to good health. Most people these days are not getting enough fiber daily. The institute of medicine gives the following daily recommendations:

	Age 50 or younger	Age 51 or older
Men	38 grams	30 grams
Women	25 grams	21 grams

Here are some reasons why fiber is so important and tips on how to make it happen from day-to-day!

• Fiber helps lower cholesterol levels! Beans, oats, flaxseed, oat bran are some that help lower cholesterol levels by lowering bad cholesterol levels from your body.
• Helps with proper bowel movements. Not only does it help make your bowel movements better, a high-fiber diet can help lower many diseases like of the colon.
• Helps achieve healthy weight! Eating enough fiber daily makes the body feel satied and overeating is less likely. Also it is an "energy dense" food meaning that they have fewer calories for the same volume of other foods.
• Helps control blood sugar levels. This is especially important for individuals with diabetes because it helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

HOW TO DO IT!

• Eat more whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, and rice, as well as more fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
• Eat fruits and vegetables with the peel, if possible. The peel is high in fiber.
• Add legumes—such as lentils and pinto, navy, kidney, and black
beans—to casseroles and mixed dishes.
• Substitute whole-grain flour for all-purpose flour in recipes
whenever possible.
• Use brown rice instead of white rice.
• Substitute oats for flour in crumb toppings.
• Choose high-fiber cereals.
• Choose whole fruits rather than fruit juices.