Worried About Your Health? Don’t Forget Fiber! (NAPSA)—Manypeople thinkif they eat their vegetables, exercise andstick to a healthydiet, they will stay healthy; and for the most part, they’re right. Many people, however, forget that an integral part of a healthy diet includes properlevels of dietary fiber. “Dietary fiber is an important nutrient our bodies need,” says Heather Knox, R.D., Pharmavite Corporation. “For the most part, people know they need fiber, but they don’t exactly know how much or whereto getit.” Knox answers some common questions aboutdietary fiber: Whatis dietary fiber? Simply put, dietary fiber is the part of fruit, nuts, vegetables, grains, and other plant foods that is not fully digested by the body. Whydo needfiber? Fiber acts as the bulking agent that helps promote regularity. Fiber’s special properties help maintain intestinal health and normal cholesterol levels. Fiber also helps you feel full, helping with weight management. How muchfiber do I need? The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends adults consume between 20 and 35 grams of dietary fiber daily, yet most Americans consume less than half of the daily requirement. How can I consume more fiber? eEat your fruits and veggies. Most fruits and vegetables contain approximately two grams of total fiber per serving. Apples, oranges, bananas, legumes, broc- One 10-0z Optimize beverage contains as much fiber as five apples or almost 3 bowls of high fiber cereal. coli and carrots are all good sources of dietary fiber. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends consuming three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servingsof fruit every day for good health. *Grab some grains. Oat bran, whole wheat bread and rolled oats are good grain sources of fiber. Each serving contains approximately one to four grams of fiber. Drink up. For those looking for convenient sources of dietary fiber, new Optimize Hi-Fiber beverages contain 14 gramsof fiber per 10-ounce bottle and offer a greattasting, refreshing and clear alternative to traditional fiber agents such as Metamucil and Citrucel. For more information on fiber, please call the Optimize nutrition hotline toll-free at 1-800-669-9163 or visit www.optimizenutrition.com.
