Soluble Fiber:
Nature's Solution To
Controlling Your Cholesterol

Soluble fiber is a critically important part of your diet if you are trying to lower your cholesterol. In fact, studies have shown it to be one of the most effective ways to lower cholesterol.
Some studies have shown that when it comes to fiber and cholesterol, you'll find that eating more of this fiber in your diet can actually help you to lower your bad cholesterol levels as well as your blood sugar levels. Eating plenty of fiber can also help to protect your body against strokes and heart attacks as well.
How Much Fiber Do You Need?
Whether you have high cholesterol or not,getting enough soluble fiber is critical to overall health. But how much do you need? The USDA has set recommendations based on calorie intake. Every 1000 calories consumed should include 14 grams of dietary fiber. This translates to 35 grams in a 2500 calorie diet. If you are trying to lower your cholesterol, this should be considered the minimum amount of fiber.


The Best Sources of Fiber

The following chart provides a sampling of the fiber content of various foods:
FoodFiber1 slice whole wheat bread1.6 grams1 slice white Bread0.6 gram1/2 cup brown rice2.4 grams1/2 cup white rice0.1 grams1/2 cup spaghetti0.8 gram1/2 cup kidney beans5.8 grams1/2 cup corn3.9 gramssmall orange1.2 grams



Beans are a wonderful way to get the soluble fiber that you need. Just eating a half cup of beans, such as lima beans, black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, or even baked beans gives you more than 5 grams of fiber.
There are a variety of fruits that can be added to your diet as well, as you seek to increase your intake of fiber. When it comes to fiber and cholesterol, you can get started at getting the fiber you need and lowering your cholesterol by eating fruits like oranges, peaches, plums, or even pears, which contain more than a gram. Mangos, grapefruit, a half cup of blackberries, or an apple will give you about ½ gram of the fiber.
You'll find that some vegetables can give you the soluble fiber you need as well. To get one gram, you'll need to eat a half cup of peas that are cooked, a medium potato, including the skin, a half cup of Brussels sprouts or broccoli, or a medium size carrot.
Even eating oatmeal or other similar foods can help. A half cup of oatmeal or bran, or even just one ounce of granola will give you a gram of the fiber you need. Studies have recently shown that even brewed coffee can help, giving you about a gram of the fiber you need for each cup.



What If I Can't Get Enough Soluble Fiber Through The Foods I Eat?

As you can see, there are many great ways that you can get the soluble fiber that you need in your diet. If you don't think that you can eat enough to get all the fiber needed each day, then consider adding a supplement to your diet as well. There are many fiber supplements as well as some very effective cholesterol lowering supplements available on the market.
Lowering your cholesterol is important, and with fiber, you can significantly lower the bad cholesterol levels, greatly improving your health.