Beware of "Fake" Fiber

We've been talking about fiber all month, and by now you all know how to incorporate fiber into your diet with a variety of whole foods.

In your effort to increase your fiber intake, however, do not be fooled by the advertising and labeling on many processed foods. When you are looking for foods that are high in fiber, it is easy to be tempted by food packaging that shouts "high in fiber" or "35% of the Daily Value (DV) of fiber."

You know the saying: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Chocolate Fudge Toaster Pastry with 20% DV of fiber? Chocolate Mocha Chewy Bars with 35% DV of fiber? Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream Bars with 5 grams (20% DV) of fiber?

Even the most naive among us must know in our hearts that consuming 5 grams of fiber in a fudge ice cream bar is not the same as getting 5 grams of fiber in a large apple. (And the poor apple has no packaging to brag about its high fiber content!)

So what's wrong with fiber in processed foods? These fibers, referred to as "isolated" fibers do not necessarily give us the health benefits of "intact" fiber, the kind that occurs naturally in whole foods. Many studies have linked high fiber consumption with health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, aiding digestion, and reducing the risk of heart disease. Isolated fibers have not been shown to produce the same benefits.

Isolated fibers are added to foods by manufacturers in order to boost the number of grams of fiber they can claim on the packaging. To find out if the fiber in your food is intact or isolated, you need to check the ingredients.

Isolated fibers include inulin (also called "chicory root"), maltodextrin, oat fiber, and polydextrose.

Beware of the "fiber" in the following fortified foods:

• Ice cream
• Yogurt
• White pasta/bread
• Juice
• Bars (esp. Fiber One, Atkins, Curves, Kashi, South Beach)
  

Bottom line: Eat your veggies, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Not only do they have real fiber, they also have tons of other nutrients that your body needs.