That’s the slogan we adopted for our student dietetic association t-shirts, no kidding. My brother though it was such a hilarious saying that he claimed my shirt as his own.
Um…this photo is from my junior year of college. It must have been a bad hair…year.
But yes, today’s post is about fiber.
To start out my morning, I tried the infamous green monster{check out the GM movement}.My good friend and fellow OSU nutritionist Gina, recently tried her first green monster, so I decided to give it a shot.
monster mix:
- 2-3 leaves kale (I know, I know…probably not the best idea because it is so darn bitter)
- 1 banana
- 1 T peanut butter
- ~ 1 cup almond milk
Honestly, I thought this might be terrible. I was wrong, though. Surprisingly, the sweetness of the banana and the almond milk surpassed the bitterness of the kale. Amazing. Can’t wait to see if it gives me more energy as many GM-lovers have said.
So what’s so fantastic about kale anyway?
- contains phytonutrients that may help prevent cancer
- increases production of enzymes involved in detoxification
- excellent source of pro-vitamin A
- excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C
- good source of fiber (1 cup cooked = 10.4% DV)
- very good source of calcium (1 cup of kale supplies 93.6 mg of calcium, 9.4% of the daily value for this mineral)
- also a copper, vitamin B6, and potassium
[zucchini, my favorite summer vegetable and another very good source of fiber]
I read a paper last week about dietary fiber, which is often recommended for those who have diabetes because it promotes weight loss and increases insulin sensitivity.
| Soluble Fiber | Insoluble Fiber |
| partially dissolves in water | does not dissolve in water |
| sources: oats & oatmeal, legumes (peas, beans, lentils), barley, fruits & vegetables (esp oranges, apples, & carrots) | sources: whole grain foods, nuts & seeds, flax seed |
| -decreases postprandial glucose response -decreases total and LDL CHOL -decreases gastric emptying | -decreases risk of type 2 diabetes |
Both types of fiber…
- increase energy density, bulking effect (reduce diarrhea), & satiety
- decrease weight gain & inflammation
Recommendations for the general population:
14 g of fiber/1000 calories consumed.
For a 2000 calorie diet, this would be 28 g, etc.
So, don’t forget to include some fiber in your diet today. What are some of your fave fiber sources?
Happy Labor Day!
