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Christine Palumbo, RD:
Studies suggest that people who eat diets that are fiber-rich weigh less than those don’t. In fact, Tufts University research found that by upping dietary fiber from the current average of 15 grams a day to the 25 or 30 grams the US government recommends can provide a 5 to 6 pound weight loss over four months – without making any other changes. Fiber-rich foods help keep cholesterol in check, and smoothes out blood sugar levels throughout the day by slowing the absorption of food from the digestive tract. It also helps keep our digestive tract “moving” and may reduce colon cancer risk by shorting the time the intestinal lining is exposed to unwanted toxins.

Good sources of fiber include beans, oatmeal, oat bran, whole grain crackers, whole wheat breads and cereals, popcorn and most vegetables and fruits (especially berries). Don’t worry about which contain soluble or insoluble fiber: those classifications are passé. Today it’s believed that most foods contain both types of fiber.

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