Foods that are high in fiber are widely believed to be beneficial to the body. It is now understood that foods containing fiber, particularily fiber in whole grain foods such as brown rice or whole grain breads, are helpful in maintaining a healthy digestive system. A fiber rich diet can prevent and treat constipation , diverticulosis and hemorrhoids. A high fiber diet can also reduce the risk of heart disease through the reduction of blood cholestoreol levels.

Less well founded claims include the claim that dietary fiber may reduce the risk of some cancers , especially colon cancer. Such claims are made on the supposition that dietary fiber improves the efficiency of the digestive system if eaten regularily, and therefore a person with a fiber rich diet is less likely to be exposed to toxins within the remainder of their diet for as long a period of time as an individual with less fiber in their diet.

A further health benefit of a fiber rich diet is that foods high in fiber can help to maintain a healthy body weight. High fiber foods are often low in calorie whilst providing enough bulk to leave a diner feeling "full". Fiber rich foods often require more chewing before swallowing preventing a person from eating a large calorific intake in a short time.

The question is how can you put more fiber in your diet without making your diet taste too bland?

Once you are able to identify high fiber foods you will be surprised at how you can improve your health with small changes without sacrificing to much taste from your diet and in many cases by improving the taste of your diet.

The only sources of dietary fiber available are from fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains so it is quite easy to identify high fiber foods. Foodstuffs from animals such as eggs, milk and meat do not contain fiber. Whether food is fresh, frozen or canned often does not make any difference to the fiber content. Be careful to avoid dried or crushed fruits or vegetables and remember that fruits and vegetables without seeds and peels have less fiber than those with seeds and peels.

It may be wise to consider that any additional fiber in your diet over and above what you currently eat will be beneficial for you but when you consider that a daily intake of about 25-35 grams is generally recommended you may be surprised to know that all it takes is a bowl of 100% bran flakes with a banana for breakfast and a can of baked beans for lunch to bring you all the benefits of a high fiber diet.