Fiber foods for healthy living

The new items the supermarkets seems to marketing is "fiber foods." These are foods such as Fiber One bars, Fiber One cereal--you get the idea. I began to get curious about the health aspect of these fiber-conscious products and decided to explore what natural foods are actually rich in this ingredient.

There are actually two kinds of fiber, soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fibers assist in lowering cholesterol and lower the chance of cardiovascular disease. This fiber can be found in such foods as oats, grains, strawberries, oatmeal, peas and citrus fruits. There are also insoluble fibers, which also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. These enriched foods may include cabbage, beats, carrots, cauliflower and apple skin.

The amount of fiber a person needs per day depends on gender and age. Generally, males under 50 years old should be eating 38 grams of fiber per day. For males over 50 years old, it's recommended they need only 30 grams a day. For women over 50 years old, it's recommended to have 25 grams a day and for those under 50, 21 grams a day.

Raspberries are one of the best high-fiber foods, containing eight grams of fiber per 1 cup serving. This is also a natural food, which means it has more nutrients than processed foods. An antioxidant, the raspberry aids in the protection of cell membranes and other functions of the body. In fact, this fruit is richer in antioxidants than strawberries and tomatoes. Researchers are in the process of determining whether the raspberry may prove to be a cancer-fighting food. Furthermore, raspberries may assist in the prevention of macular degeneration, which is a condition that affects the eyes. Since each individual needs 3-5 servings of fruits per day, this is a great way to get one of them.

One serving of cooked split peas is 16 grams of fiber. This food is rich in nutrition, to the point that it's and cholesterol. Furthermore, it's an excellent source of protein, vitamins & minerals. Split peas, when cooked, can be low in sodium--which, after all this, has to make this food a heart healthy food as well. Nearly half of its 41 carbohydrates are fiber, which assists the beans in slowing the digestion. Split peas are a staple food for pregnant women because it contains folate, which creates news cells.

Finally, strawberries, similar to the raspberries, are an antioxidant. However, for only 4.4 grams of fiber/1 cup serving, this berry has much more nutritional value. Many people consider oranges to be the No. 1 source of Vitamin C, but instead it is strawberries. In fact, strawberries is one of the world's healthiest foods. Researchers have documented that those who have eaten strawberries may have decreased risk of Type 2 diabetes. This is significant to an individual eating strawberries 2-3 times a week. Furthermore, researchers have documented that consuming strawberries may be an antioxidant towards cancer.