"It's the healthiest gift you can give your body," was my grandmother's breakfast message about the oatmeal she served me 50 years ago.
She would be amused to know that the last 10 years of medical science have given proof to her intuition about the value of whole oats. Grandma would also chuckle that I am still following her breakfast advice with added ingredients like fresh or frozen berries.
Oatmeal and berries have a health value in common; they are not only nutritious in multiple ways but are also related as great fiber sources with important health benefits now recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada and European Medicines Evaluation Authority.
The FDA lists whole oats, barley and psyllium seed husk as excellent sources of dietary fiber that can reduce cancer risk via regular dietary intake.
Health Benefits of Fiber in the Diet
Consumed as long as people have eaten plants, dietary fiber has recently come into the view of governments, nutrition advisory groups and the public as one of our most important dietary macronutrients.
However, nutritionists have estimated that Canadians and Americans consume less than 50% of the required daily fiber amount to maintain intestinal health and its multiple other benefits.
Consistent intake of fiber through foods like whole grains, berries and other fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts is now associated with reduced risk of some of the world's most prevalent diseases including:
* Several types of cancer
* Obesity
* Type 2 diabetes
* High blood cholesterol
* Cardiovascular disease
* Numerous gastrointestinal disorders (constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis and colon cancer)
Fiber Health Benefits
Recent medical research has proven several physiological benefits of consuming fiber, among which are:
* Improved absorption of calcium, magnesium, and iron
* Reduction of blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels
* Stabilization of blood glucose levels after a meal, i.e., a low glycemic index food source
* Maintenance of an optimal intestinal environment
* Stimulation of immune responses
Over the past 30 years, government agencies around the world have undertaken analyses and definitions of fiber to more accurately describe this dietary nutrient. Among some 32 reports filed, the most universally accepted definition is one by the American Association of Cereal Chemists. The AACC focused on the physiological and metabolic significance of fiber, defining it as:
"…[T]he edible parts of plants or similar carbohydrates resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine."
Recognizing these facts, advisories now exist in several countries for increasing adult intake of dietary fiber to 30 grams per day, double the current intake levels. Achieving this goal has been difficult because high-fiber foods do not always taste good and may lack other qualities needed to attract consumers.
She would be amused to know that the last 10 years of medical science have given proof to her intuition about the value of whole oats. Grandma would also chuckle that I am still following her breakfast advice with added ingredients like fresh or frozen berries.
Oatmeal and berries have a health value in common; they are not only nutritious in multiple ways but are also related as great fiber sources with important health benefits now recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada and European Medicines Evaluation Authority.
The FDA lists whole oats, barley and psyllium seed husk as excellent sources of dietary fiber that can reduce cancer risk via regular dietary intake.
Health Benefits of Fiber in the Diet
Consumed as long as people have eaten plants, dietary fiber has recently come into the view of governments, nutrition advisory groups and the public as one of our most important dietary macronutrients.
However, nutritionists have estimated that Canadians and Americans consume less than 50% of the required daily fiber amount to maintain intestinal health and its multiple other benefits.
Consistent intake of fiber through foods like whole grains, berries and other fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts is now associated with reduced risk of some of the world's most prevalent diseases including:
* Several types of cancer
* Obesity
* Type 2 diabetes
* High blood cholesterol
* Cardiovascular disease
* Numerous gastrointestinal disorders (constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis and colon cancer)
Fiber Health Benefits
Recent medical research has proven several physiological benefits of consuming fiber, among which are:
* Improved absorption of calcium, magnesium, and iron
* Reduction of blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels
* Stabilization of blood glucose levels after a meal, i.e., a low glycemic index food source
* Maintenance of an optimal intestinal environment
* Stimulation of immune responses
Over the past 30 years, government agencies around the world have undertaken analyses and definitions of fiber to more accurately describe this dietary nutrient. Among some 32 reports filed, the most universally accepted definition is one by the American Association of Cereal Chemists. The AACC focused on the physiological and metabolic significance of fiber, defining it as:
"…[T]he edible parts of plants or similar carbohydrates resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine."
Recognizing these facts, advisories now exist in several countries for increasing adult intake of dietary fiber to 30 grams per day, double the current intake levels. Achieving this goal has been difficult because high-fiber foods do not always taste good and may lack other qualities needed to attract consumers.
