Think You Need Protein? What About Fiber!

We Can Obsess Over Protein. Erroneously If We Are Eating Vegetarian Diets. But In General, We Often Forget About Fiber In The Process.

The average requirement for protein is about 42 grams per day. As a result of this, the question then is often, “do vegetarians get enough protein?” According to research, on average vegetarians and vegans get 70% more protein than they need, but so does everyone else. However, there is a vital nutrient that Americans are low in.

97% of Americans are deficient in fiber according to the NHANES 2005-2006 study “What We Eat In America.” The average American gets 14.8 grams of fiber per day of the 32 grams that we should be. The study goes on to show that 0% of men between the ages of 14-50 get the adequate fiber that they need.

The health benefits of fiber include, but are not limited to, lowering cholesterol and cardiovascular risk, helping to control blood sugar levels, maintain healthy bowel movements and bowel health, along with helping to maintain a healthy weight. So where do we get fiber from?  Dietary fiber is found in plants, non-digestible carbohydrates, and lignin.

I encourage you to watch the video from NutritionFacts.org to learn more. Their video also includes important information about fiber.