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By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Fiber has long been known to be a nutrient that is very important for gut health and maintaining regularity. But, fiber actually does a whole lot more than just keeping our guts healthy!

According to registered dietician Caroline Susie, fiber also helps to regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight management, all of which are risk factors for more serious heart conditions or strokes. Specifically, the American Heart Association says that a person’s first-time stroke risk drops by 7% with every 7 grams of fiber they consume in their diets.

Unfortunately, however, only about 5% of Americans are getting enough fiber in their daily diets. The Mayo Clinic advises that men under the age of 50 aim to get about 38 grams of fiber per day, and women under 50 should aim for about 25 grams per day.

Getting more fiber in your diet doesn’t mean that you’ll just be munching on dry bran muffins or eating bowl upon bowl of oatmeal. While those are good sources of fiber, there are plenty of other delicious foods that are high in fiber content! Consider the following:

• Beans
• Lentils
• Fresh fruits
• Fresh vegetables
• Corn
• Avocados
• Oatmeal
• Barley
• Peas
• Chia seeds

Many of the foods listed are ones that farmers produce right here in Arizona! Check them out next time that you’re grocery shopping!

For more health-related articles or for some delicious recipes that use many of these fiber-filled foods, check out the Fill Your Plate website!