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Roughing-up Your Sports Diet;
Sport Nutrition

As a nutritionist, this editor commonly hears clients proclaim "I'm trying to eat more salads for roughage... " They know that fiber is health-protective--it promotes regular bowel movements, reduces the risk of heart disease, improves blood sugar control, reduces the risk of adult-onset diabetes, and enhances weight reduction. (Fiber-rich foods take longer to chew and help you feel full.)

But little do they know one of the best sources of roughage is not lettuce, but bran cereal. Granted, eating lettuce can contribute towards a positive fiber intake, but you would need to eat six pounds of it to get the recommended 30 grams of fiber! Other foods offer more of a fiber boost. Here is some information on how to roughen-up your diet.

Types of Fiber

Everyone should try to eat a variety of fiber-rich foods on a daily basis, because different foods offer different types of fiber with different health benefits. The two main types of fiber are

Insoluble Fiber

This type of fiber gives plants their structure. It does not dissolve in water. Common sources are wheat bran, vegetables and whole grains. Insoluble fiber absorbs water, increases fecal bulk, and makes the bowels easier to pass.

Soluble Fiber

This type of fiber forms a gel in water. It is in oatmeal, barley, and kidney beans (as well as in pectin and guar gums, two fibers often added to foods and listed among the ingredients). Soluble fiber lowers blood cholesterol, particularly in people with elevated cholesterol.

Soluble fiber can also help stabilize blood glucose levels, making fiber-rich snacks a wise pre-exercise choice (assuming they settle comfortably). Some sustaining pre-exercise snacks include oatmeal -- and oatmeal breads, cookies, muffins -- as well as beans and legumes, such as lentil soup, refried beans, humus, chili, and chick peas.

Fiber for Constipation

Constipation is a concern for many active people, including those with physical challenges. Although the normal pattern for bowel movements varies from person to person, infrequent hard, dry stools are a sign of constipation. Being too busy to go to the bathroom aggravates the problem; exercise, particularly running, alleviates it.

To help eliminate constipation problems, gradually increase your intake of high fiber plant foods. Bran cereals are among the foods highest in fiber. A serving of bran cereal such as Fiber-One mixed with granola or Grape-Nuts and topped with berries is an easy way to rapidly boost your fiber intake. Eating some fruit and/or vegetables at all three meals can also do the job.

Fiber increases fecal weight and the number of trips to the bathroom, but it usually does not increase transit time (normally 2 to 4 days). Transit time varies according to stress, exercise, and diet. The best bet as an active person is to find the right combination of fiber-rich foods that promotes regular bowel movements for your body. (Some athletes have to restrict their fiber intake.)

Note: In addition to eating a fiber-rich diet, be sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Drinking warm liquids in the morning is particularly helpful to stimulate bowel activity, because the body naturally wants to defecate about a half hour after consuming a warm beverage. Be sure to schedule time to relax and honor this urge.

Where to Find Fiber

Fiber is lost through food processing, such as milling whole wheat into white flour; peeling skins from fruits (apples, pears) and vegetables (potatoes, cucumbers); pureeing, straining, and juicing. Choose unrefined foods for more fiber. As little as 5 to 10 grams of fiber can change bowel behavior. The recommended daily intake is 20 to 35 grams.

Here is a list of fiber-rich foods to guide daily food choices.

LOW FIBER FOODS include foods that are not from plants -- meat, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, cheese; sugar, sweets; butter, oil.

BRAN CEREALS are the easiest way to boost fiber intake.

Fiber-One, 1/2 cup 14 grams per ounce
All-Bran with Extra Fiber, 1/2 cup 13
All-Bran, 1/2 cup 10
Grape-Nuts, 1/4 cup 3
Oatmeal, 1 packet instant 3
Frosted Mini-Wheats, 1/2 c 3
Cheerios, 1 cup 3

BREADS and crackers made from whole grain flours (whole wheat, rye, oats, corn) are high in fiber, as are bran breads and muffins.

Bran muffin, Dunkin' Donuts 5 grams of fiber
Triscuits, 8 reduced fat 4
Rye-crisp, 2 3
Branola Bread, 1 slice 3
Honey wheat berry, 1 slice 3
Pumpernickel bread, 1 slice 2
Whole wheat bread, 1 slice 2
White, 1 slice 0.5

FRESH FRUITS with edible skins are highest in fiber.

Pear, medium 4 grams of fiber
Apple, medium 4
Orange, medium 3
Banana, medium 3

BERRIES with seeds are a good source of fiber (grams/100 cals).

Raspberries (1.75 cup) 14 grams of fiber
Blackberries (1.5 cup) 10
Strawberries (2 cups) 8
Blueberries (1.2 cup) 5

DRIED FRUITS are another good source of fiber (grams/100 cals).

Figs, 2 4 grams of fiber
Apricots, 12 halves 4
Apple, 6 rings 4
Prunes, 5 3
Dates, 4 3
Raisins, seedless (1/4 c) 1

VEGETABLES with edible skins (potato, cucumber) and seeds (tomato, zucchini) are highest in fiber.

Broccoli, 1 cup; 50 cals 5 grams of fiber
Potato, 1 lg. w/skin; 200 cals 5
Green beans, 1 cup; 50 cals 4
Peas, 1/2 cup; 60 cals) 4
Carrots, 1 raw large; 50 cals 3
Corn, 112 cup; 75 cals 2
Pepper, 1 large; 50 cals 2
Lettuce, 2 cups 2

BEANS and LEGUMES, such as lentils and split peas, are excellent sources of fiber, as well as protein. Protein-rich animal foods (meat, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy products) lack fiber.

Refried beans, 1/2 cup 7 grams of fiber
Baked beans, 1/2 cup 6
Humus, 1/2 cup 6
Kidney beans, 1/2 cup 6

NUTS and SEEDS are good for fiber-rich snacks, as are baked goods with dried fruits and nuts.

Almonds, 24; 165 cals 3 grams of fiber
Sunflower seeds, 1 oz; 160 cals 3
Peanut butter, 2 Tbsp.; 200 cals 2
Sesame seeds, 1 T; 50 cals 1