NUTRITION

Do you get enough fiber? Fiber helps with regularity, helps lower fasting blood sugar levels for people with diabetes, helps reduce blood cholesterol and may help prevent certain types of cancer. Getting enough fiber means getting enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Now is the time to load up on fiber. Fiber intake should be approximately 20 to 35 grams per day, unfortunately, most americans only consume 10 to 12 grams per day

According to the American Dietetic Association, how you prepare or cook vegetables affects their nutrient value: Vegetables, just like many other vitamin rich foods need to be handled with care to preserve the valuable vitamins they contain. Trim only the inedible parts of vegetables and fruit, since many vitamins are found in the outer leaves, skin and just below the skin. Since many vitamins are water-soluble, cook vegetables and fruits with small amounts of water, and cook only until tender crisp. Some vegetables require more cooking time, so keep the pieces large, the more surface exposed to water the more vitamins lost. Use vegetable and fruit broths for soups, casseroles, or sauces. Cook vegetables with a lid to keep the steam from carrying away the vitamins. Handle your produce with care -- and vitamins will be your reward.

Not only are vegetables low in fat and high of fiber, they also contain many cancer-fighting substances. Carotenoids, the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their dark colors and Beta-carotene, present in dark green and yellow vegetables, have been shown to help prevent cancer. Vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, kale, turnips, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts contain flavones and indoles which are thought to have anti-cancer activities. Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits and many vegetables, acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing cancer-causing chemicals that form in the body. Selenium, found in whole grains, works well with Vitamin E, found in grains, vegetable oils and dark vegetables.

A high-fiber diet, already linked to preventing heart disease and cancer, may also fight obesity, according to a new study! It was found that young adults who ate at least 21 grams of fiber per day gained, on average, eight pounds less over a 10-year period than those who ate the least amount of fiber.