$Unique_ID{BRK00667}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Why Don't we Hear About Roughage Anymore?}
$Subject{roughage fiber colon cancer cancers Digestive diet diets food foods
nutrition constipation hemorrhoids bowel cholesterol}
$Volume{I-26}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Why Don't we Hear About Roughage Anymore?


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QUESTION:  When I was younger, a good many years ago, my mother was very
determined to put enough roughage in our diet to keep us well, healthy and
regular.  She raised 6 children on that philosophy, and all of us are still
around.  How come I don't hear that word much anymore when it seemed to be
just fine for us?

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ANSWER:  Times change, and terminology changes, but the principles your mother
put into practice concerning your diet still make good sense.  In today's new
nutritional lingo, roughage is now called "fiber".  And according to
statistics from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Americans don't eat as
much fiber as they should.  Currently most diets consumed by Americans fall
far short of the 20-30 grams per day advised by the NCI as possible protection
against colon cancer.  Fiber is found only in plants, forming part of their
cell walls.  Our system cannot digest fiber, so it forms a great part of the
bulk that helps the passage of solid waste products in our digestive tract.
You won't find fiber in meats, poultry, fish, or dairy products, so you have
to increase your consumption of fruits, veggies and grain products.  You can
often find the fiber content of a prepared food by reading the label, but
including 3-5 servings of whole grain breads and cereals, 3 servings of
vegetables, including cooked dry beans and peas, and 2-3 servings of fruit in
each day's diet, will put you on the right track.  Besides possible protection
against colon cancer, fiber helps ease problems of constipation, hemorrhoids
and some other bowel problems.  In addition it has been shown that fiber helps
lower cholesterol blood levels and thus helps reduce the risk of heart
disease.  By knowing the fiber content of various foods and making your
selections wisely, you will be getting all the benefits of "roughage" that
your mother intended you to have.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.