Susan Skapyak, is a nutritionist with the General Mills Bell Institute, based in Minneapolis. Scientists in the Bell Institute contribute to research on whole grains, micronutrients and breakfast, and publish research and scientific articles in leading peer-reviewed journals. In addition, the Bell Institute also supports health professional organizations, sponsors educational efforts, and develops patient education materials and continuing education programs for health professionals.  Susan joins us to discuss the role of fiber in our diet, and also shares a few of her food and fitness secrets.

Name: Suzanne Skapyak MS, RD

Birthday: May 31

Location: The General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition

Website: www.bellinstitute.com

Diet Detective: Hello Suzanne thanks so much for agreeing to do this interview. How did you get started in the area of nutrition?

Suzanne: As an undergraduate at Penn State, I started my education in the area of environmental resource management. Once I figured out that some likely jobs in ERM would require wearing funny looking toxic waste clean-up suits, or solid waste management, I decided to see what other majors might be a good fit for the basic science classes I had already completed. I came across the nutrition department and was hooked. Nutrition is such a dynamic area with lots of interesting job opportunities. I feel really lucky to be in the field right now.

Diet Detective: What was the most interesting nutrition concept you’ve found in the last few years that would surprise us?

Suzanne: There are two concepts that have really impacted my perspective on nutrition and nutrition education in the last few years. One is the concept of mindful eating. This is not necessarily a “new” concept, but new to me in terms of the way we think about eating. It is really easy, especially in my field, to get hung up on certain ingredients or numbers of things (i.e. calories, fat grams, mg of calcium) when it comes to foods, but the concept of mindful eating really reminds us how important it is to have a positive relationship with food in order to be healthy. Taking time to enjoy your food and being mindful of both internal and external cues when choosing and enjoying foods is really important for good health. I know it sounds like common sense, but this is a concept that can be really hard for people to grasp in today’s society.

The other really interesting area that is getting a lot of research and media attention especially over the last few years is the area of probiotics or good-for-you types of bacteria and how they influence health. It is a bit mind blowing trying to grasp how billions of tiny organisms in our guts can impact our health and how our diets may be influencing that environment.

Diet Detective: Can you tell us a bit about the Bell Institute?

Suzanne: The Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition at General Mills is a group of mainly nutrition scientists and registered dietitians who conduct nutrition research and help to shape the health and nutrition strategy and communications for General Mills. I feel so fortunate to work with so many talented people who are dedicated to making our products healthier and our resources credible and meaningful for consumers.

Diet Detective: I’m under the impression that fiber actually helps to control the release of sugar in your body. That’s why an apple doesn’t create insulin spikes? Can you explain how this works?

Suzanne: Insulin is the hormone that is released from your body in response to increases in blood glucose levels. We do now that after eating soluble fiber, blood glucose levels are lower compared to the response seen from other carbohydrates. Soluble fiber slow sdown the process of gastric emptying and therefore slows down the process of nutrient digestion and absorption in the small intestines. While fiber containing foods usually combine a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber, there tends to be more soluble fiber in oats, barley, soybeans, dried beans and peas, and citrus fruits.

Diet Detective: I’ve heard that taking fiber supplements doesn’t have the same effect as natural fiber existing in the food itself?

Suzanne: Well basically fiber is fiber no matter how it may be packaged. There are however, many different types of fiber and different fibers have different health benefits. Eating a variety of fiber containing foods will provide you with a variety of types of fibers. Also, as a dietitian, recommending food first is part of my inherent code, not necessarily because the fiber in supplements isn’t as good, but because you get other nutrition benefits from eating fiber containing foods. For example, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grains to meet your fiber recommendations ensures you are getting all the other essential nutrients those foods provide too. Whole grains, for example, provide so much more than just fiber such as B-vitamins, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Fiber is just one piece of the puzzle.

Plus, it just tastes better and is more enjoyable to eat food than to take a supplement. We also find that people are more successful at eating foods everyday than they are at remembering to take supplements every day. So, learning how to make fiber rich food choices is a great strategy.

Diet Detective: I know that you’re an expert on fiber, would you mind explaining why it’s such an important nutrient?

Suzanne: There are so many health benefits of fiber! Digestive health is probably the most common one people think of, but getting adequate fiber as part of an overall healthy diet also has benefits for weight management, heart health and even diabetes management. In fact diets rich in fiber are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Diet Detective: I realize that fiber is a substance in plants, and that dietary fiber is the kind that’s in fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains.  But what is it, and why do plants have it?

Suzanne: Dietary fiber is a broad term that describes the part of the plant food that your body can not digest. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (beans and peas), nuts and seeds all provide fiber. Fiber in plants basically provides structural integrity.

Diet Detective: How does fiber actually work in your body?

Suzanne: Different fibers have different health benefits. For example, insoluble fiber helps with regularity by providing bulk. Soluble fibers that work to lower cholesterol do so by interfering with cholesterol absorption in the gut.

Diet Detective: I have a question regarding calories vs. fiber? Is it better to go with higher calories in order to get more fiber in a meal or lower calories and less fiber?

Suzanne: The good news is, fiber rich foods are usually lower in calories. So you don’t necessarily have to make this trade off. In fact, eating a lot of foods rich in fiber, can actually help you decrease your overall calorie intake because you will likely be eating the same amount of food, but taking in less calories overall.

Diet Detective: Current recommendations suggest that adults consume 21-38 grams of dietary fiber per day, depending on age and gender – how are we supposed to reach that goal? How can I get more fiber in my diet?

Suzanne: It can certainly be quite a challenge to fit in that much fiber and in fact most Americans are not meeting the current recommendations. Even by choosing a variety of foods and including lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, it is not always easy. Just remember that if you are not used to eating a lot of fiber, it is important to increase your intakes gradually overtime to avoid uncomfortable side effects that can happen when you eat more fiber than you are used to.

Diet Detective: Fiber is often classified into two categories: those that don't dissolve in water (insoluble fiber) and those that do (soluble fiber) – can you explain the differences?

Suzanne: Yes, you will see on the nutrition facts panel that fiber can be labeled as soluble or insoluble. As you mentioned, the insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and soluble fiber does. The difference can mean different health benefits because the fibers act differently in the gut. Insoluble fiber reduces transit time of food through your large intestines (think regularity) and also provides non-caloric bulk (meaning it can help you feel full on fewer calories, great from a weight management perspective). Soluble fiber on the other hand can help manage blood glucose levels and the soluble fiber from beans and certain types of grains (oats, barley and psyllium seeds) can help lower cholesterol. In addition some types of soluble fiber are also beneficial for helping to maintain a healthy gut microflora in the intestines (those good-for you types of bacteria I was talking about earlier).

Diet Detective: When you blend, chop or food process fiber rich foods, does it lower the fiber content?

Suzanne: No, you don’t have to worry about this as long as you are still eating all of the food. One thing that will lower the fiber content is a juicer. While juicing fruits and vegetables is really delicious (and I have come up with some good concoctions), it does generally reduce the fiber content so keep that in mind.

Diet Detective: What are some of the highest fiber fruits, vegetables and grains?

Suzanne: Beans (like navy, kidney, pinto and black beans), lentils, sweet potatoes, pears, berries like raspberries and blackberries, dark green vegetables like spinach, and whole grains.  

Diet Detective: If you could eat one unhealthy food (candy, cakes, etc..) whenever you wanted without gaining weight, what would it be?

Suzanne: Oh, this is a trick question for a dietitian isn’t it! The dietitian’s mantra of “all foods can fit” really comes into play here! I really don’t restrict myself from eating foods I enjoy. I love chocolate, especially dark chocolate and not because of its purported health benefits either, but just because it tastes so darn good! I enjoy it when I have a craving for it and don’t feel guilty about it. Having a healthy diet to me is really more about keeping things in moderation and in the context of an active lifestyle instead of bucketing foods into categories of “can have” or “can’t have”.

Diet Detective: Do you have time to exercise? What do you do?

Suzanne: Like everyone else, I certainly wish I had more time. When I first met my husband I got really into running. He is a marathon runner. I tend to get bored with running though, and really enjoy more playing games like tennis or racquetball; you know things were you don’t have that bright red timer staring you the face telling you it’s only been 10 minutes! I am pregnant right now, so mostly I try to stay active by walking and doing some prenatal yoga classes. I really feel great when I am exercising on a regular basis, not only physically, but mentally too.

Diet Detective: What’s your favorite healthy ingredient? What’s the one thing you’d suggest people keep in their kitchen if they want to cook healthy meals?

Suzanne: Vegetables of all kinds are a must have in our house. A meal for me really isn’t complete unless it has some kind of vegetable as part of it. Although I do love to have just steamed broccoli, carrots or cauliflower with just a little bit of olive oil with most dinners, I know a lot of people won’t do that. One thing I recommend is for people to stock up on frozen vegetables. They are just as nutritious as fresh, won’t spoil if you don’t get around to using them right away, and are really versatile. You can use them in soups, stews, casseroles, pasta dishes or get seasoned ones for a really fast and easy side.

Diet Detective: What do you do to reduce stress/relax/center your mind? Do you participate in an organized relaxation activity such as yoga, meditation or tai chi?

Suzanne: Yes, I love yoga and find it really ties into the whole concept of trying to be more mindful, so I have been focusing a lot on that right now.

Diet Detective: If you had to pick one healthy cook book to recommend (or two) which would you choose? 

Suzanne: Betty Crocker has some great cookbooks. They do a wonderful job testing every recipe so you know if you try a recipe from one of their books it is going to turn out, no wasted time or money! They also provide great health information about their recipes. One book I was fortunate to be involved with is a relatively new one called Betty Crocker Whole Grains: Easy Everyday Recipes (Wiley Publishing, Inc). This book is so great because it shows you how you can really work whole grains in all throughout the day at literally every meal occasion. Another one of my favorites; Eating Well Serves Two (Eating Well, Inc, Published by The Countryman Press)

Diet Detective: What’s your motto?

Suzanne: “All foods can fit!”

Thank you!!!!

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