There are several health benefits to eating fiber, such as lowering cholesterol and aiding in the prevention of heart disease. It also helps you to feel full. According to the American Dietetic Association, the recommended daily amount of fiber is 25 grams for a woman and 38 grams for a man. (After age 50 it drops to 21 grams for women and 30 grams for men).

So, exactly how much is 25 grams? Sounds like more than my system can handle, if you know what I mean. As someone born and raised in the U.S., I have only a minimal grasp of metrics, even after surviving that less-than-stellar experiment in the 1970s when the country decided we would all learn the metric system in school. As my teenage son would say – epic failure.

After using a conversion calculator, I found out 25 grams is less than 1 ounce (.88 to be precise). Since I do have a good concept of ounces, partially thanks to the TSA’s rules on a 3 oz. minimum for liquids, I’m now thinking that I can easily eat 25 grams of fiber per day. So what are good sources of fiber that will get you to that 25 or 38 gram recommendation? Check out WebMD’s 6 Foods and Tips for More Fiber. Between my morning oatmeal, bananas, veggies and Triscuit addiction, I have a good start but could do a little better.

Please forgive this shameless plug, but I am responsible for sales, after all. Here comes the shameless plug: KeepWell is an excellent source of fiber and puts me over the 25 gram mark when I don’t have time to eat my veggies. 

WebMD recommends that when you increase your fiber intake, you also increase your water intake and that you add fiber gradually. And if you have any GI issues, always check with your doctor first.