DIET | DETECTIVE^®

Choose the best fiber source among like products with this easy calculation.

We've all heard how important it is to increase dietary fiber. Aside from its many health benefits, a high-fiber diet can help lessen feelings of hunger and even appears to prevent the absorption of other calories. You may even know which food groups contain the most fiber: fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

But how do you tell if the food you are considering eating is a good source of fiber relative to other foods like it? For example, if you want to buy whole grain bread, how do you choose from among the 30 or so varieties your store likely carries?

"A good rule of thumb is that, in general, a high-fiber food should contain at least one gram of fiber per 25 to 30 calories," says Shira Isenberg, RD. "That means, if a slice of bread is 80 calories, you would want it to contain at least 3 grams of fiber. To easily determine this, divide total calories per serving by 28. The number you get should be less than or equal to the number of grams of dietary fiber on the label of the product."

If not, ditch it and keep hunting.

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