soluable fiber and insoluable fiber

[kimba]

In reading the MWL book on page 72 Dr. McD mentions you can use guar gum, oat bran, or rice bran and wheat bran.

That soluable fiber is effective at lowering insulin and blood sugar. The wheat bran is the soluable fiber.

Now, how woud you use these? In recipes or what? Im not familiar with those. I mean I have seen oat bran and made that to eat before.

Ideas? Do you know?

thanks.

[Cindee]

Here's a little bit of what I have learned. It may be of help, may not, but I'll try here and hopefully it will help you.

Soluble Fiber: oat and rice bran, legumes, fruits and vegetables
Function: may decrease cholesterol and rate of sugar absorption.

Insoluble Fiber: wheat bran, vegetables, fruits, whole grains.
Function: increases bulk to help relieve constipation, slows rate at which food travels, and ma decrease risk of cancer and lower cholesterol.

NOTE: Fruit and vegetables contain both types of fiber.

I believe the recommended amounts of fiber should be approx. 25 grams per day. The wheat bran and oat bran are great in making breakfast muffins. I think some sprinkle on cereals. We eat oatmeal (old fashioned) for breakfast daily and get the major source of our fibers through vegetables and fruits.

I don't know that this has helped much. I'll bet the McDougall pro's here can offer much more. Good luck to you. Cindee

[kimba]

Thanks Cindee,

I welcome any info. I dont know it all. Every little bit helps.

Thanks for taking the time.

kimba.

[slugmom]

oat bran also makes a great hot cereal ... I cook mine in the microwave, and then add a little apple sauce and cinnamon!

[Purdy]

I think you could gradually aim for a little higher than 25 grams for your fiber. I know there is a woman (Brenda Watson) with a book who keeps touting 35 grams but after seeing her on my local PBS station during a membership fund raising drive, I added up my own fiber and was above the 35 gram level without even trying, so I think only 25 grams is cutting it a bit low. You may already be getting that much.
The nice thing about raising your fiber intake is that most of the foods with lots of fiber are also those with relatively low calories per volume of food.

I start my morning off with oatmeal, cooked along with about 1/4 cup wheat bran and 1/3 cup raisins added to the mix during cooking. Soy milk on top.
Just that start alone gets your "fiber" day off to a good start.

Another good source of fiber is cous cous, but even the whole wheat style (from Trader Joes) is fairly high in calories per volume. But it has lots of fiber.

[Cindee]

exactly, the rda suggests 25 which is where that figure came from. McDougalling puts you way over, but the average person struggles to get to that point, so if you have a goal, although low by our standards, it's better than what most are getting. cindee