This often-neglected nutrient reduces LDL cholesterol and is associated with lower heart disease and stroke mortality. It’s also linked to lower rates of breast, stomach, prostate, and pancreatic cancer — and reduces colon cancer risk by about 16%.
This super nutrient is fiber.
Fiber and Blood Sugar
Dietary fiber slows the absorption of blood sugar and is associated with 16% less diabetes.
Fiber and Brain Health
Research indicates that people who ate 18 grams of fiber or more per day had a 26% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who ate less than 10 grams per day.
Are You Getting Enough?
The typical American eats only about 10–15 grams of fiber per day. Women should aim for about 25 grams per day, and men around 35 grams per day.
Best Sources of Fiber
- Beans and lentils: 11–15 grams per cup
- Whole grains: 3.5–6 grams per cooked cup
- Fruit: 3–5 grams per cup
- Vegetables: roughly 3–10 grams per cup
For a full list of 20 high-fiber foods, download the free eBook Health Secrets at peacediet.org.
About Dr. Terry Shintani, MD, JD, MPH
Dr. Terry Shintani is a Harvard-trained physician and nutritionist, named a Living Treasure of Hawai’i and recipient of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for Excellence. He is the creator of the Peace Diet and the landmark Waianae Diet — published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and cited over 137 times — and the author of 16 books on natural health and nutrition, drawing on more than 35 years of clinical practice in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Learn more about Dr. Shintani’s work and recognition: NLM Native Voices
Sources:
- NIH/PubMed — Dietary Fiber Intake and Cardiovascular Mortality
- NIH/PubMed — Fiber Intake and Alzheimer’s Disease Risk
- NIH/NIDDK — Fiber and Diabetes Prevention