Fiber Free for All

I picked this article because I have been trying to buy breads and cereals with higher fiber in them. Since staring this class I've found out that things aren't always what they seem. I'm not sure how much fiber I need. I'm also unsure of the difference between whole grain and fiber. Hopefully these questions will be answered for me.

Wondering how much fiber you need? Going by food labels, 25 grams is what you need daily. I'm looking at a box of Triscuit's right now and it says "For a diet of 2000 calories you should be getting 25 grams of fiber daily, and for a diet with 2500 calories you should be getting 30 grams of fiber daily." The National Academy of Science recommends women under the age of 50 get 25 grams a day, but men in the same age group get 38 grams daily. Now, for women over 50 it drops to 21 grams and for men over 50 it drops to 30 grams of fiber daily. The recommendation is that you get approximately 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories you take in, so it's not like you will need less fiber when you get older, but you don't take in as many calories as you age, so you don't need as many grams of fiber. The majority of Americans don't take in even half the advised amount. Why is it harmful to fall short of the recommended amount? Heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, obesity, and regularity have all been found to be links between fiber and health. According to a researcher on the panel for the National Academy of Science, daily fiber goals are founded on information that supports that fiber may prevent cardiovascular disease. The National Academy of Science weighs greatly on the studies that found a lower risk of heart disease in people who ate more fiber. The studies found that the fiber that appeared to protect the heart came mostly from bread, grains, and cereals instead of fruit and vegetables. Unfortunately, this study was not conclusive. Researchers don't know if it's the fiber, or if there is another factor involved that matters. Whole grains contain phytoestrogens, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. A lot of extras come with fiber. Oddly enough, the fiber that is supposed to lower cholesterol is not the same fiber that lowers the risk for heart disease. Soluble and insoluble fibers are in fruits, vegetables and grains. But the majority of grains, like wheat, have more of the insoluble fiber. This type of fiber is not broken down by the digestive system. On the other hand, oats and barley are mostly viscous soluble fiber which, are broken down by the digestive system more easily. Researchers found that when they feed people soluble fiber, it lowered cholesterol, but the insoluble fiber did not. Again, researchers are not sure if it is the fiber that lowers heart disease or if other factors are involved.

There is some evidence that fiber is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, and it revolves around fruits, vegetables, and again,