Fiber
NEED MORE HELP?
These foods fill you up with their high fiber and water
content. They are often unprocessed or minimally
processed. Some examples are:
•
•
reduced-sodium canned
•vegetables
frozen plain •vegetables
• canned dry beans
frozen unsweetened •fruits
fresh produce
canned fruits packed in juice or light syrup
Foods that are high in calorie density contain high
amounts of fat and/or may be loaded with sugar. They
are often heavily processed and low in fiber. Some
examples are:
• fried chicken nuggets
• burgers
• French fries
• prime rib
• bacon
• crackers
• candy
• pretzels
• chips
• creamy dressings
Visit www.aicr.org for more information about diet, physical activity,
weight and cancer prevention and survivorship. Or call 1-800-843-8114
to request additional brochures, including:
• 10 Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk
• The Cancer Fighters in Your Food
• The New American Plate
Suddenly adding large amounts of fiber to
your diet may give you a stomach ache and
gas. Slowly increase the amount of fiber-rich
foods you eat and drink plenty of water
throughout the day. If you’re having trouble
digesting high-fiber foods, speak with your
physician or a registered dietitian.
THE RECOMMENDATION
Fiber
Plant Foods
These and other brochures can be downloaded for free at
www.aicr.org. You can also visit the AICR Hotline online for answers
to your questions about diet and cancer, or call 1-800-843-8114
Monday–Friday, 9 am–5 pm ET. A registered dietitian will return your call.
American Institute for Cancer Research
1759 R Street, NW, P.O. Box 97167
Washington, DC 20090-7167
1-800-843-8114 or 202-328-7744
About AICR
OUR VISION: We want to live in a world where no one develops a
preventable cancer.
OUR MISSION: The American Institute for Cancer Research champions
the latest and most authoritative scientific research from around the
world on cancer prevention and survival through diet, weight and
physical activity, so that we can help people make informed lifestyle
choices to reduce their cancer risk.
We have contributed over $105 million for innovative research conducted
at universities, hospitals and research centers across the country. Find
evidence-based tools and information for lowering cancer risk, including
AICR’s Recommendations for Cancer Prevention, at www.aicr.org.
About the Continuous Update Project
INCREASE FIBER SLOWLY
THE FACTS ABOUT
As the U.S. charity in the World Cancer
Research Fund network, we contribute to
the Continuous Update Project (CUP), an
ongoing analysis of global scientific research into the link between diet,
physical activity, weight and cancer.
The CUP produces periodic reports on the state of the evidence linking
various lifestyle factors to risk of specific cancers. These reports will
inform a major update of our Recommendations for Cancer Prevention
scheduled for 2017.
Follow us on
AICRBlog
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Eating plenty
of plant foods
that supply
dietary fiber
– vegetables,
fruits, whole
grains and
beans − may help protect
us against cancer, especially
colorectal cancer. That is the
conclusion of the latest review
of all the evidence from the
Continuous Update Project, a
continuation of AICR’s expert
report, Food, Nutrition, Physical
Activity, and the Prevention of
Cancer: a Global Perspective.
Enjoy a plant-based diet. Eat at least 2 ½ cups
daily of non-starchy vegetables (like greens,
tomatoes, carrots and cauliflower) and fruits
and 3 or more daily 1-ounce portions of whole
grains (such as whole-wheat products, brown
rice and oats).
THE RESEARCH
Fiber-rich plant foods include vegetables, fruits,
whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds. (Animal
foods do not contain fiber.)
These foods also contain hundreds of naturally
occurring plant substances called phytochemicals,
which help protect the body’s cells from
damage that may lead to cancer. They also
provide essential vitamins and minerals.
Eating a lot of non-starchy vegetables and fruits
may protect against cancers of the mouth,
pharynx, larynx, esophagus and stomach.
Fiber Helps Control Weight
Many high-fiber plant foods are low in calories.
This is one important way that they control
body weight. And being overweight or obese
increases risk of many common cancers.
Eating mostly foods that are low in calorie
density is a good way to control your weight.
Twitter
E4C-FI
AICR_Facts about Fiber.indd 1
12/17/14 3:57 PM
Dietary Fiber in Common Foods
Food
A Note about Supplements
Fiber (grams)
Crisped rice cereal, 1 cup
0
White rice, cooked, ½ cup
0
Corn flakes, 1 cup
1
Enriched spaghetti, cooked, ½ cup
1
Grits, cooked, ½ cup
1
Spinach, raw, 1 cup
1
White bread, 1 slice
Fiber supplements do not provide you with the
vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals
that work together to prevent cancer. Processed foods
with added fiber also do not offer as much protection.
Fiber’s Health Benefits
Fiber is the carbohydrate in foods that your body
can’t digest. It’s either soluble, which dissolves in
water, or insoluble, which doesn’t.
If your doctor advises a fiber supplement in addition
to a plant-based diet, that’s fine, but eating a mostly
plant-based diet will meet most people’s fiber needs.
You’ll find more soluble fiber in oats, barley, beans
and fruit. Vegetables and whole grains contain higher
amounts of insoluble fiber.
1
How Much Fiber Is Enough?
Blueberries, ½ cup
2
Brown rice, cooked, ½ cup
2
Health experts recommend eating at least 25 grams of
fiber each day in balanced, mostly plant-based meals.
By eating a variety of plant foods, you get both kinds
of dietary fiber. Both are important to your health
because they:
Eat whole grains and beans with most meals and
select whole-grain breakfast cereals with 5 or more
grams of dietary fiber per serving. Prepare these
healthy foods in low-fat ways.
Carrots, cooked, ½ cup
2
Oatmeal, cooked, ½ cup
2
Whole-wheat bread, 1 slice
2
Apricots, dried, ⁄3 cup
3
Banana, 1 medium
3
Barley, cooked, ½ cup
3
Meal
Food (grams of fiber)
Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup
3
Breakfast
Orange, 1 medium
3
½ cup blueberries (2)
1 cup shredded wheat (6)
medium banana (3)
1–2 slices whole-wheat bread (2–4)
1 cup lentil soup (6)
¼ cup hummus (4)
6 whole-grain crackers (3)
1¼ cup broccoli (6)
½–1 cup brown rice (2–4)
small tossed salad (1)
35–39 grams
1
Strawberries, sliced, 1 cup
3
Whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked, ½ cup
3
Acorn squash, baked, ½ cup
4
Apple with skin, 1 medium
4
Bulgur, cooked, ½ cup
4
Hummus, ¼ cup
4
Potato, baked with skin, 1 medium
4
Shredded wheat, 1 cup
6
Bran flakes, 1 cup
7
Lentils, cooked, ½ cup
8
Black beans, cooked, 1 cup
15
Source: USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory
AICR_Facts about Fiber.indd 2
Fiber-rich foods to include:
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Total Fiber
Simply follow this rule of thumb: Fill 2/3 (or more) of
your plate with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and
beans and 1/3 (or less) with lean meat, poultry or fish
or low-fat dairy foods.
CancerPrevention: Together We Can is an initiative
of the American Institute for Cancer Research
that is dedicated to presenting evidence-based,
user-friendly and interactive tools that educate
and empower people to reduce cancer risk. Visit
www.aicr.org/can-prevent.
AICR Guidelines for
Cancer Prevention
• Slow digestion, so you feel full longer
• Help lower blood sugar levels and possibly aid in insulin sensitivity
• Lower blood cholesterol levels
• Dilute harmful substances in the colon and prevent constipation
• May help gut bacteria produce substances The choices you make about food, physical activity
and weight management can reduce your chances
of developing cancer.
such as butyrate that may protect the colon
from cancer
• Aim to be a healthy weight throughout life.
•
Choose mostly plant foods, limit red meat and avoid processed meat.
•
Be physically active every day in any way for
30 minutes or more. Limit sedentary habits,
like watching television.
And always remember–do not smoke or chew
tobacco.
You can support AICR’s life-saving research
and education efforts in a variety of ways:
•Make a donation online at www.aicr.org;
to AICR, 1759 R Street, NW,
• Write
P.O. Box 97167, Washington, DC
20090-7167; or
•Include a bequest in your will.
For more information, visit Foods
that Fight Cancer at www.aicr.org.
For more information, contact our Gift Planning
Department at 1-800-843-8114.
12/17/14 3:57 PM