You Ask, I Answer: Fiber Intake & Dieting

Andy, You've hit it. I don't have a lot of calories to spare.

I'm trying to do 1200 cal per day (it's been a real struggle) and usually really consume about 1400+ per day. I'll try the flax seed, everything else I already do.

-- Laura Lafata
Miami Beach, FL

I am assuming 1200 calories is a number a health professional (such as a Registered Dietitian) came up with for you.

If it isn't, make sure you have it double-checked by someone with a background in nutrition to ensure that you are not slowing down your metabolism unnecessarily.

In situations where calorie intake is in the 1200 - 1400 range, it is important to have high-fiber foods throughout the day.

Here are some examples:

A half cup of chickpeas adds up to 5.3 grams of fiber and 143 calories.

A 2/3 cup serving of a high-fiber cereal (like Barbara's Bakery's Puffins) offers 6 grams of fiber and just 100 calories.

A Dr. Praeger sweet potato pancake clocks in at 60 calories and 3 grams of fiber.

A 1-ounce serving of Triscuits (that comes out to 6 crackers) add 3 grams of fiber and just 120 calories to your day.

A medium banana contains 105 calories and 3 grams of fiber.

A half cup of raspberries offers 4 grams of fiber and only 32 calories.

If you included all of the above-mentioned foods in your meals tomorrow, you are getting 24.3 grams of fiber from just 560 calories!

Whole Grains Even An Amateur Will Love

Current statistics show that consumers in the United States eat 40 percent of their whole grains at the breakfast table.

A large majority of this figure can be attributed to popular cereals like regular Cheerios, Total, and Fiber One.

Although they offer their share of fiber (and millions of people like to start their day off with them), these cereals are often characterized as too bland by fiber-free eaters persuaded to switch to healthier breakfast foods.

Consequently, these people often revert to sugary, "made with whole grain" varieties that are basically sugar flakes with a pinch of whole wheat flour thrown in to justify a "Whole Grains!" boast on the front of the box.

I always think it's good to let you know of smaller companies who are putting out delicious and nutritious products, so while we are in the cereal realm, I thought I would let you know about Barbara's Bakery.

Their Shredded Line of cereals is composed of tasty -- and ultra crunchy, even after several minutes in milk -- whole grain cereals.

A 1 1/4 cup of Shredded Oats, for example, contains five grams of fiber, 230 milligrams of potassium, six grams of protein, and 2.5 grams of fat.

Thank the nutrition deities for a realistic serving size! Too many cereal brands try to pass off half a cup as a serving.

Tomorrow morning, measure out half a cup of cereal. Then laugh, as you realize that the average person eats at least an entire cup or breakfast.

Since the first two ingredients are whole grains -- whole oat flour and whole wheat flour -- one serving of Shredded Oats covers a whooping ninety percent of the daily recommended intake of whole grains.

I'm actually not big on packaged cereals, but, for the past several months, boxes of Shredded Oats have taken permanent residence in my cupboards.