Fortified by Fiber Power

Fiber. Granted, it’s not the sexiest of topics. But eating a high-fiber diet is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. Among the benefits of fiber:

* Helps you maintain a healthy weight because high-fiber foods tend to be lower in fat (think fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, grains and cereals).

* Helps lower blood cholesterol.

* Helps keep blood sugar within a normal range.

* Can prevent or reduce the symptoms of bowel disease, and reduce the risk of colon cancer.

* Aids digestion and helps prevent constipation.

Generally, a healthy diet includes 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily. Sound like a lot? It’s really not--not if you eat a variety of foods daily, including five servings of fruits and vegetables. But here’s the best part: It’s easy to add fiber to your meals. Here are some ideas that may work for you:

* Add frozen vegetables to a can of soup, or put canned beans or lentils on a salad.

* Replace half of the meat in chili, stews and casseroles with cooked or canned beans.

* Include a salad of leafy, dark green lettuce or fresh spinach with lunch or dinner.

* Substitute cooked barley or bulgur for mashed or boiled potatoes. Or, alternatively, eat baked potatoes with the skin on.

* Add fresh, cut-up vegetables to lunches or eat them as a snack.

* Use brown or wild rice in place of white rice, and add beans or lentils.

* Eat smooth-skinned fruits, such as pears, apples and nectarines, with the skin on.

* Cut up whole fruit and add it to cereal for breakfast. Or top frozen yogurt with fruit for dessert or a snack.