Fiber Research

1.     CheckPoint: Fiber Research

·         Due Date: Day 4 [Individual] forum

·         Visit http://www.americanheart.org and click on the Heart & Stroke Encyclopedia link. Click on the F in the alphabetical listing, and then click on Fiber.

·         Read about fiber in the online encyclopedia.

·         Read the article, Fibers, Lipids, and Coronary Heart Disease, at http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/95/12/2701.

·         Write a 200- to 300-word response answering the following questions:

o    What is the function of fiber in the body?

o    What are some examples of food sources of dietary fiber?

o    What is the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber?

o    What are the fiber recommendations for children versus adults, according to the article?

o    What did you learn about fiber that you were not aware of prior to reading this information?

·         Format your paper according to APA standards.

            Fiber in the body helps reduce blood cholesterol, can help lower the risk of heart disease, and gives you a feeling of fullness which can help with weight management.  Fiber can also help prevent constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis.  It has also been linked to prevention of some cancers such as colon or breast cancer.  Fiber can come from a variety of sources such as whole wheat, oatmeal, cornmeal, brown rice or bulgur.  Neither soluble nor insoluble fiber is absorbed into the blood stream; however, soluble fiber forms a gel when mixed with liquid while insoluble fiber does not.  Fiber recommendations for children from the pediatric community say that children use the ‘age plus five’ rule.  This means that a five year old child should consume ten grams of fiber per day.  Once a person reaches adulthood then a diet that consumes around 25 grams of fiber per day is recommended. 

            After reading the article I found a few things about fiber I did not know before, but the one thing that stood out was how whole grains become refined grains.  You get refined grains by removing the bran and germ of the kernel and grinding the endosperm into flour or meal.  The enriching process does add back some vitamins but no dietary fiber.