Benefits of Fiber
Hartford Farms Premium Breads all provide a good source of fiber.
- Varieties which contain a Good Source of Fiber have at least 2.5 grams of fiber per 50 grams of bread or 10-19% of the daily recommended amount.
Fiber Defined:
Fiber is made up of the material composing the walls of the cells of whole grains, fruits and vegetables that is resistant to being broken down and digested.5,6
For many years, fiber has been labeled as either soluble or insoluble as an attempt to assign physiological effects to chemical types of fiber. However, in 2002, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published a new set of definitions for dietary fiber based on the viscosity and fermentability of the fiber: 3,5
- Dietary fiber describes the carbohydrates and lignin that are intrinsic and intact in plants that are not digested and absorbed in the small intestine.3,5
- Functional fiber consists of the isolated carbohydrates not digested and absorbed in the small intestine that have beneficial physiological effects in humans.3,5
- Total fiber is the sum of dietary fiber and functional fiber.3,5
The IOM recommended that “soluble fiber” and “insoluble fiber” not be used because research suggested that the health benefits of fiber are not related to the solubility of fiber; however, food labels still may include these terms.3,5 In addition, the IOM proposed definition has not yet been adopted by the FDA for the purposes of food labeling and health claims.3
Fiber Health Benefits
- Fiber helps maintain gastrointestinal health and proper bowel function by increasing fecal bulk and stool weight to increase transit time in the colon, increasing the removal of carcinogenic compounds, increasing binding to mutagens, and lowering colonic pH.1,2,3
- Research shows a diet adequate in fiber may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, constipation, diverticulosis, and diseases of the large intestine.1,3,4 Populations that consume more dietary fiber have less chronic disease.5
- By helping to normalize the glucose response and decrease insulin concentration, fiber helps to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and also nutritionally manage the disease.3
- Many studies have also shown that diets high in fiber are associated with a reduced risk of some types of cancer. 3
- A growing number of studies show that fiber may protect against certain types of breast cancer by decreasing blood levels of estrogen. The strongest associations of reduced breast cancer incidence have been observed in greater intakes of bread and cereal fiber.3
- Fiber has also been associated with weight management and lower body weights.3,4,5
- Foods high in fiber are processed more slowly by the body, provide more volume compared to lower fiber foods, and are more satiating, meaning that they provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.3,4,5
- The majority of studies with controlled energy intake reported that increasing fiber resulted in an increase in satiety after a meal and a decrease in subsequent hunger.5
- The strongest evidence to support fiber’s role in weight management comes from studies showing an association between high fiber diets and lower body mass index (BMI).3
Satiation is defined as the satisfaction of appetite that develops during the course of eating and eventually results in the cessation of eating. Satiety refers to the state in which further eating is inhibited and occurs as a consequence of having eaten.5
Recommended Amounts of Fiber
According to the USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the adequate intake (AI) for fiber is 14g per 1,000 caloriess, or about 25g per day for women and 38g per day for men.7
The chart below summarizes the AI of fiber by age and gender:
| Fiber Recommendations by Age and Sex | Population Daily Fiber Recommendation |
| Children ages 1-3 years old | 19 grams |
| Children ages 4-8 years old | 25 grams |
| Young boys ages 9-13 years old | 31 grams |
| Young girls ages 9-13 years old | 26 grams |
| Teenage boys ages 14-18 years old | 38 grams |
| Teenage girls ages 14-18 years old | 26 grams |
| Young and adult men ages 14-50 years old | 38 grams |
| Young and adult women ages 14-50 years old | 25 grams |
| Men ages 50 years and older | 30 grams |
| Women ages 50 years and older | 21 grams |
Chart adapted from: Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes: Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, DC, National Academies Press, 20023
- Most Americans consume about half of the recommended amount of fiber, as the usual intake averages only 15g per day.3,5,7
- Nutrition Facts panels on food packaging use 25g of dietary fiber per day for a 2,000 calorie diet and 30g of fiber per day for a 2,500 calorie diet for goals for American intake.5
The FDA has definitions for foods that contain an “Excellent Source” or a “Good Source” of fiber:
- Varieties which contain an Excellent Source of Fiber have at least 5 grams of dietary fiber per 50 grams of bread or at least 20% of the daily recommended amount.
- Varieties which contain a Good Source of Fiber have at least 2.5 grams of fiber per 50 grams of bread or 10-19% of the daily recommended amount.
FIBER SOURCES:
- USDA: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/grains_why.html Last modified: June 21, 2011
- American Society for Nutrition: “Putting the Whole Grain Puzzle Together: Health Benefits Associated with Whole Grains – Summary of American Society for Nutrition 2010 Satellite Symposium” By: Satya S. Jonnalagadda, Lisa Harnack, Rui Hai Liu, Nicola McKeown, Chris Seal, Simin Liu, and George C. Fahey – The Journal of Nutrition, First published online March 30, 2011 http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/files/ASNsummary2010.pdf
- International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC). “Fiber Fact Sheet” 11/24/2008 http://www.foodinsight.org/Resources/Detail.aspx?topic=Fiber_Fact_Sheet
- American Dietetic Association. “Boost Your Health with Fiber” 9/20/2011 http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442465065
- American Dietetic Association. “Position of the American Dietetic Association: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber” – Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2008;108:1716-1731 http://www.eatright.org/WorkArea//DownloadAsset.aspx?id=8442
- Cornell University. Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors. “Whole Grains, Fiber, And Breast Cancer Risk: Fact Sheet #36” Prepared by: Barbour Warren, PhD and Carol Devine, PhD. June 2000. http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/Factsheet/diet/fs36.grain.cfm
- U.S. Department of Agriculture & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. December 2010 http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2010.asp