Fiber is a vital nutrient, but a mystery to many people.

“It's one of those nutrients that's important, but people don't know about it,” according to Jane Boone-Brechwald, a registered dietitian for the Santa Barbara County Health Department's Santa Maria office.

Boone-Brechwald defines it as a carbohydrate that can't be digested.

Simple enough, but the benefits of fiber are much more exciting than that simple definition implies.

Benefits

Fiber has multiple benefits that elude many Americans, who generally get about 14 or 15 grams per day, according to Boone-Brechwald.

She recommends 25 to 30 grams a day for adults; and for children, she calculate their grams needed by adding five to their age.

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Among the nutrient's chief benefits is its help with the digestive system. It can prevent constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis, according to Boone-Brechwald.

Mary Munoz, a certified clinical nutritionist and part-time registered nurse at Marian Medical Center, said the best way to tell if you're getting enough fiber is to see if you're having healthy bowel movements.

“A lot of people don't even know what a healthy movement is,” Munoz said. “A good healthy movement should be easy to pass, it should be complete, and it should be full of fiber.”

In addition, it can help people at risk for obesity-related complications in a number of ways.

Munoz said fiber helps regulate blood glucose levels to prevent and control diabetes. Boone-Brechwald explained that it slows digestion, makes you feel full, and therefore less likely to overeat, and may lower levels of LDL cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol, as well as total cholesterol.

Finally, Boone-Brechwald said adequate fiber intake is linked to lower incidences of colon cancer and breast cancer.

Soluble versus insoluble

The difference between soluble and insoluble fiber isn't overwhelmingly important, according to Boone-Brechwald, but it may be helpful to know.

The basic difference, she said, is that soluble fiber partially dissolves in water, and insoluble fiber doesn't.

She said insoluble fiber passes through the intestine, promoting regular bowel movements and preventing constipation.

Soluble fiber, such as the kind found in Cheerios, binds with fatty acids, which might be why it can lower cholesterol levels.

Neither type of fiber is absorbed by the bloodstream or used for energy, because they are excreted by the body without being digested.

How to get fiber

FRUITS

Eating plant-based foods is the key to getting enough fiber.

“We try to get people to get whole fruits instead of getting fruit juices, replace the white rice, bread and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products, and choose cereal that's higher in fiber,” said Boone-Brechwald.

High-fiber cereals include Fiber One, All-Bran and Special K, said Boone-Brechwald. Adding fruit, such as strawberries and raspberries, will pack more punch in your breakfast.

VEGETABLES

The farmer's market isn't a bad place to start when it comes to your vegetables.

“It's a wonderful place to go for increasing your fiber,” Boone-Brechwald said.

She also recommended snacking on raw vegetables during the day instead of chips, crackers and chocolate bars.

Munoz recommended having vegetables in your home, precleaned, pre-cut and ready to eat, so you can just grab and go. Salads work, too, especially if you make a few ahead of time, and store them in single-serving containers.

“A good salad consists of six or eight different vegetables, so that's a good source,” Munoz said.

GRAINS

Instead of eating meat, try putting peas, beans and lentils in your soup, Boone-Brechwald advised.

Munoz concurred, and also recommended barley and corn in soups.

“You can put all your vegetables and some of the grains in there,” Munoz said. “The combination with the grains would be more effective.”

WATER

Boone-Brechwald said water is an important final step in increasing the amount of fiber you eat.

“Anybody who increases their fiber needs to increase their water intake,” Boone-Brechwald said. She recommended drinking eight to 10 glasses of water a day when you start eating more fiber.

Munoz said eating fiber without enough water could clog the pipes, so to speak.

“It (water) helps to flush things through, basically,” Munoz said. “When our food is being digested in the small intestine, it helps to move along. If you don't have enough water, it could get bulky, and stick.”

Fiber doesn't have to be a mystery. Its benefits are clear, and the recommendations are simple to follow.

10 high sources of fiber, in no particular order:

Apples

Strawberries

Raspberries

Flax seed

Carrots

Green beans

Peaches

Spinach

Fiber One cereal and other high-fiber cereals

Orowheat 100% Whole Wheat Light Bread and other high-fiber breads

Bettina Adragna can be reached at 739-2220 or at badragna@santamariatimes.com.