Dietary fiber offers many health benefits

Grandma was right: "Roughage" or fiber is good for you, and should be fundamental to any smart diet for all kinds of healthy reasons.

In mid-December, a Harvard Medical School review published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that people reporting a high dietary fiber intake (25 to 30 or more grams daily) weren't any less likely to develop colorectal cancer than those eating 10 to 15 grams of fiber a day.

Fiber is still solidly linked with everything from preventing constipation and controlling weight to lowering cholesterol and regulating blood sugar.

But there's no need to chomp on tree bark and ingest supplements that taste like sawdust to get the fiber you need. It's found in all kinds of plants, including some of your favorite fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts.

While fiber supplements, such as Metamucil or Citrucel, can increase your fiber intake, it's better to get your fiber through whole foods.

Nutritionists recommend adding extra helpings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and seeds to your diet to get the needed fiber. It not only tastes better than supplements, but it's also good for you.

- San Diego Union-Tribune