How Is Fiber Measured?

Posted in May 7, 2011
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Overview

How Is Fiber Measured?Fiber is measured in grams, like most macronutrients that you eat. Macronutrients are the portion of food that provides the calories and energy. These include foods containing carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Though fiber does not provide any substantial nutrition, it should still be a part of a healthy diet. Fiber can benefit your digestive system, cardiovascular system and even your waistline. It can improve the functioning of your colon and digestive muscles, lower your cholesterol, control your blood glucose and increase satiety. Getting an adequate amount of fiber each day is necessary for a healthy body.

What is Fiber?

Fiber is contained in plant sources of food. It is considered a carbohydrate, but you may better know it as the bulk or roughage in your food. There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. They receive their name based on their interaction with fluids inside your body. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the digestive tract and, thus, expands as it travels through your body. Insoluble fiber does not absorb water and moves through the digestive tract relatively unchanged.

Measuring Fiber's Calories

Though fiber is a carbohydrate, it does not give you any calories. Fiber is broken down minimally by your body. This is mostly due to the interaction between fiber and the bacteria in your gut. However, fiber is not absorbed, and you therefore do not obtain any calories or energy from it.

Identifying Fiber in Foods

Generally, if it was grown out of the ground, it contains fiber. Most foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains contain a substantial amount of fiber. Identifying the fiber content in prepackaged food is easy. Check the nutrition label listed under the carbohydrates section to find the information regarding fiber; you will be able to identify the amount of fiber you will consume in each serving.

Recommendations and Sources

You should monitor your daily fiber intake to obtain as much as you need. Fiber recommendations vary by gender. A woman should try to get between 21 and 25 g of fiber each day. An adult man needs 30 to 38 g per day. High fiber foods include raspberries with 8 g of fiber, pears with the skin-on have 5.5 g ,oats contain 4 g, barley has 6 g, bran flakes contain 5.2, peas have 8.8 g, lentils have 15.6 g, most nuts have around 3 g, artichokes contain 10.3 g, and broccoli has 5.1 g of fiber.