Grandma called it roughage or bulk. We call it fiber. Fiber rich foods include fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains and cereal.

We have radically changed our eating habits and food choices in the past fifty years. Most Americans consume about 5-13 grams of fiber daily whereas experts recommend 20-35 grams daily. Our great grandparents diet was much richer in legumes, fruits, vegetables and whole grains to the tune of about 100 grams per day.

With the decrease of fiber in our diet comes an increase in diabetes, high cholesterol, colon polyps, cancer, colitis, constipation, diverticulitis, IBS, hemorrhoids and weight gain. A diet high in fiber helps you feel full longer.

To get enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, think color! Eating a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C. A variety may include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, and white onions. But don’t be afraid to stop there, many seasonal fruit and vegetables are just now coming into season, and you can expand your horizon by trying new fruits and vegetables.

Add chopped fruits, wheat germ, flax seed, nuts and seeds to baked goods, cereals and yogurts.

Substitute whole-wheat flour for half of the white flour you use in baked goods.

Replace some of the fat in a recipe with apple sauce (for baked goods) or pureed beans (for casseroles, soups and sauces).

Add beans to soups, salads, sauces and dips.

Serve rice and beans, chili and other bean-based dishes.

Serve whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and whole grains such as kasha.

Add a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables to salad, soup and pasta.

Incorporate wheat or oat bran into hamburgers, meatloaf, chili, meatballs or casseroles.

KIDS NEED FIBER TOO! How much fiber do kids need, and how do we get them to eat it?

For fiber, Add the number 5 to your child’s age to determine the numbers of grams per day. For example a 10 year old needs at least 15gm/day.

For Children -add adjectives:

Choose fun words to describe new foods. Research has shown that preschoolers devoured broccoli because they were pretending to be dinosaurs eating a "Dinosaur Tree,’’ while kids couldn’t get enough of a tomato-based vegetable juice dubbed a "Rainforest Smoothie.’’ When regular peas were renamed "power peas," the number of children who ate them doubled. "Tantalizing words can dramatically increase the appeal of food" according to the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab.

1/2 cup bran = 9gm

3/4 cup oatmeal = 3gm

Whole wheat bread = 1.4gm

Whole white bread = 0.4gm

1 medium apple = 3gm

1 pear = 5gm

1/2 cup cooked pinto beans = 6gm

1 potato = 2gm

1 large carrot = 3gm

1 stalk broccoli = 3gm

2/3 cup peas = 4gm

Jacki Abbott DrPH, RD, LD - NWPC

www.CDC.gov vegetable of the month page where you can find seasonal fruits and vegetables, preparation tips and great recipes.

www.mypyramid.gov