THE BENEFIT OF DIETARY FIBER

Studies have shown that naturally occurring fiber, which nutrition experts call dietary fiber, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels, prevent constipation and reduce the risk of hemorrhoids and diverticulosis, which causes pouches to form in the large intestine.

This type of fiber comes from the parts of plants that are resistant to human digestive enzymes and may help people feel full, thereby aiding in weight loss. Some studies have also linked a high dietary fiber intake to a reduced risk of colon cancer.

Dietary fiber comes in two forms -- one form dissolves in water, the other doesn't -- and both are found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and grains. But these are foods that Americans just don't eat enough of anymore, says Mian Riaz, director of the Food Protein Research and Development Center at Texas A&M University in College Station.

Women younger than 50 need about 25 grams of fiber per day, and men younger than 50 need 38 grams (the daily values are a few grams lower for adults older than 50). But on average, American women get about 13 grams and men 17 grams, according to a 2005 report by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine
Food manufacturers have striven to help consumers fill that gap, identifying and developing a variety of fiber sources to add to everyday foods.