New Study Shows How To Easily Get More Fiber In Your Diet Without Increasing Calories

14 Aug 2014 --- Despite recommendations from nutrition and health experts, most Americans still struggle to get enough fiber in their diet. In fact, the average American would have to double his/her fiber intake to meet current recommendations, which can be a daunting task. But a new study in Nutrition Today, published by Wolters Kluwer Health – LWW, shows how small step changes in the diet can help people reach their fiber goals while also keeping calories under control.

The final installment in a three-part series on the fiber deficit in America, this article demonstrates how replacing every day foods with higher-fiber options can lead to big improvements in fiber consumption. "Choosing higher fiber varieties of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help move the fiber needle, but so can foods with fiber added," said DeAnn Liska, PhD, Kellogg Company's senior director of U.S. nutrition science, and a co-author on the study. "Most Americans fall short of the recommendations for fruits and vegetables and not all whole grains are high in fiber, so to meet their fiber needs they must consider higher-fiber varieties of other common foods in the diet."

To show how easy these small steps can be, and how quickly the fiber can add up, the article highlights the typical diet of an American woman consuming around 13 g of fiber and 1,600 calories per day.  With two simple exchanges (a low-fiber breakfast cereal for a high-fiber breakfast cereal and chocolate chip cookies for a high-fiber chocolate chip snack bar), she can double her fiber intake without increasing calories.  Other simple substitutions, such as whole wheat bread for white bread, can also play a role in easily adding fiber to the diet.

"Looking at menus that mirror typical eating habits and showing individuals the simple changes they can make to increase fiber is a powerful educational tool," said Betsy Hornick, MS, RD, nutrition educator and lead author.  "And revealing that these changes can be accomplished with different varieties of foods they already enjoy, without adding calories, empowers them to easily make the change."

To help Americans get the fiber they need in the foods they enjoy, Kellogg offers more ready-to-eat cereals that are a good source (3 grams) of fiber and include at least 8 grams of whole grains than any other U.S. food company.  Kellogg's FiberPlus® Bars also provide at least 25 percent of the daily value for fiber and all Kellogg's Nutri-Grain® Cereal Bars offer at least a good source of fiber (3 grams).