Find the Fiber

Here is a fun and educational way to teach your audience about the fiber content of foods.

1. Assemble the following food items. Divide into groups as shown and place in a basket.• Cereals: 100% bran, shredded wheat, oatmeal, Rice Krispies®, Cheerios®• Vegetables: broccoli, lima beans, kidney beans, potato, bell pepper• Breads: 100% whole wheat bread, white bread, rye wafers, rice cake, plain bagel• Fruits: apple, banana, prunes, pear, canned peaches2. Divide your audience into 4 groups and give each group a basket containing one of the above groups of food.3. Provide each group with a scorecard that lists each food in their basket. Ask each group to number each food on the scorecard according to their fiber content per serving. The food numbered "5" is the food the group thinks contains the most fiber, and the food numbered "1" is the food the group thinks the least amount of fiber.4. As each group finishes numbering the foods in their basket, they take another basket and repeat the process.5. The group who most correctly guesses the order of the fiber content of all of the foods is declared the winner.6. Remind your audience that the recommended fiber intake is 20 to 35 grams per day. Using the food items, help the audience assemble a combination of foods that will provide this amount of fiber.7. Other teaching tips:• Start each day with a high fiber breakfast cereal. Look for cereals that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.• Soluble fiber found in oats, fruits, and dried beans helps to lower cholesterol and helps to control blood glucose levels.• Insoluble fiber found in grains, nuts, and seeds promotes regularity, prevents constipation and hemorrhoids, and may decrease the risk of colon cancer.Correct answers:Cereals: Fiber (g) portion:1 - 100% bran 8.4 1/3 cup2 - Shred wheat 2.6 2/3 cup3 - Cheerios 2.0 1-1/4 cups4 - Oatmeal 3.2 1 cup5 - Rice Krispies 0 1 cupVegetables: Fiber (g) portion:1 -Kidney beans 7.3 1/2 cup2 -Potato w skin 2.5 1 medium3 -Lima beans 2.4 1/2 cup4 -Broccoli 2.2 1/2 cup5 -Bell pepper 1.2 1/2 cupBreads: Fiber (g) portion:1-Whole wheat 3 slice2-Rye wafers 2.3 3 wafers3-Rice cake .3 cake4-White bread 0 slice5-Bagel 0 1Fruit: Fiber (g) portion:1 - Pear w/ skin 4.3 12 -Apple w/ skin 3.5 1 med3 - Prunes 3.0 34 - Banana 2.4 1 medium5 - Can peaches 0 1/2 cupBy: Beth Fontenot, MS, LDN, RD