Fiber One Products

A wide variety of foods can be found within the “Fiber One” line—granola bars, toaster pastries, pancake mix, etc. Each of these foods helps us to obtain adequate fiber in our diet. For example, a Fiber One chewy bar has 9 grams of fiber. Per serving, Fiber One pancake mix contains 5 grams of fiber. Fiber One cereals typically contain 14 grams of fiber. One of my favorite tips is to mix ½ cup Fiber One Original cereal with ½ cup of another kind of cereal. This allows me to get a good dose of fiber plus the great taste of a cereal of my choice.

Most adults should consume 26 g of fiber per day. Adequate fiber intake has many benefits. It can help to prevent/relieve constipation and hemorrhoids. It also helps to prevent certain diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. If you are trying to lose weight, fiber will help you to feel full for a longer period of time.

Not a fan of Fiber One products? Fiber can also be obtained from the following sources: whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, and brown rice; nuts and seeds; legumes (like dried peas, beans, lentils); fruits; and vegetables. You can also take a dietary fiber supplement like Citrucel or Metamucil. These products are mixed with water and provide about 4-6 grams of fiber in an 8-ounce glass.

Fiber One products can help you to easily incorporate fiber into your diet. There is a wide range of products, and you might find you have a new favorite snack! You can even visit www.fiberone.com to find recipes that use Fiber One products! There are many other foods you can consume to incorporate enough fiber into your diet.

Probiotics

You have probably seen the commercials or advertisements for Dannon Activia Yogurt. The packaging and ads make the following claims: “helps regulate your digestive system” and “slows intestinal transit”. In order to achieve these claims, this product contains probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms, like bacteria, that have a health benefit. Three species (kinds) of bacteria are found in Dannon Activia Yogurt: L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus, and bifidobacterium.

Probiotics may be useful in alleviating constipation and decreasing the frequency of diarrhea. People with lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, and other inflammatory bowel conditions may find that probiotics help to alleviate their symptoms. Probiotics may help to prevent and treat urinary tract infections and vaginal yeast infections.

You may want to try a product containing probiotics to see if it works for you. Be aware that there are some side effects. Some people may experience gas or bloating. Be cautious if you have an underlying health condition—microorganisms may cause infection.

However, it is important to note that probiotic research is ongoing. Although this research is promising, the data is inconclusive. Additional research will verify the effectiveness, safety, and best dosage of these products. Probiotics are considered relatively safe, but more research needs to be done to determine if these products are safe for young children, older adults, and people with suppressed immune systems.


Resources/References:
• “Probiotics and Digestion”, American Dietetics Association Hot Topics, April 2009
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/probiotics/AN00389

Antioxidants

This week’s product is Kellogg’s Fiber Plus Antioxidants cereal bar. In one bar, you will consume 9 grams of fiber, 20% of your recommended amount of Vitamin E and 20% of your recommended amount of zinc. In this product, Vitamin E and zinc are the antioxidants.


Antioxidants are substances that neutralize the effects of free radicals in the body. Antioxidants may also help to keep your immune system in top form and may reduce your risk for cancer and other diseases. In addition to Vitamin E and zinc, other antioxidants include lycopene (commonly found in tomatoes), Vitamin C (commonly found in citrus fruits), and beta-carotene (found in orange vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots)

Vitamin E may help to reduce plaque buildup in your arteries. Vitamin E is also good for your eyes—it can help to prevent cataracts. Would you like healthy skin and hair? Be sure to consume enough vitamin E!

Foods that are naturally high in vitamin E include wheat germ, whole-grain products, seeds (especially sunflower seeds), nuts (especially hazelnuts and almonds), spinach and other dark, green leafy vegetables, and peanut butter. Try sprinkling some wheat germ on yogurt or cereals. Almonds and sunflower seeds are a great snack!

Zinc also has protective properties in the body. Zinc can help your skin by protecting against harmful UV radiation from the sun. This magic mineral may help wounds to heal faster. It can also help bolster your immune system and decrease your risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Within the past ten years, research at Oregon State University has examined the effect zinc has on the brain. Shielding your brain from toxic substances is a layer called the blood brain barrier. Zinc helps to prevent damage to the blood brain barrier; thus, serving to protect the brain.

Good food sources of zinc include meat (beef, lamb, pork), poultry (turkey, chicken), and seafood (lobster, clams, salmon). If you are a vegetarian, you can get zinc from dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt), yeast, legumes (peanuts, beans) whole grain cereals, and brown rice. However, pumpkin seeds contain a high amount of zinc, so you may find them to be a tasty and nutritious snack.

Want to learn more? The website of the American Dietetics Association is full of great information! Visit www.eatright.org. You may find the links below to be especially useful!

http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=3542&terms=antioxidants

http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=3834&terms=Vitamin+E+and+antioxidant

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12358835

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/ss03/zinc.html

http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/

Functional Foods/Omega 3 Fatty Acids

A popular food trend is “functional foods”. A functional food is one that may provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Sometimes substances like extra vitamins, minerals, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids are added during processing to enhance the health benefits of a particular product. In this blog, I will be writing about a particular functional food each week.

Many of you may like to begin your day with a glass of orange juice. Did you know that Tropicana has a new product (Healthy Heart with Omega-3) that will help you obtain omega-3 fatty acids just by drinking orange juice? The label states that in an 8 fluid ounce serving, there are 50 mg of DHA and EPA (two types of omega-3 fatty acids). The recommended daily value is 160 mg. Thus, by drinking one cup of this orange juice, you can get 30% of your daily value of DHA/EPA.

How do these omega-3 fatty acids (not naturally found in oranges) get into the juice? This orange juice is fortified with MEG-3 (fish oil and fish gelatin), a product of Ocean Nutrition Canada. Fish, flax seed, kiwi fruit, eggs, and nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazel nuts) are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

By now you may be wondering why omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial. Omega-3 fatty acids may help to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease, they may strengthen your immune system, help alleviate rheumatoid arthritis, and help your brain to stay healthy.

Tropicana Healthy Heart with Omega-3 Orange Juice is one product that may help you get an adequate amount of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids each day. So to that, I say “cheers”!