High-fiber picks • Try a high-fiber grain — bulgur, barley or brown rice — instead of rice. • Eat fresh or dried fruit with every meal. Eat the skins and membranes of fruits. • Start dinners with a large spinach salad sprinkled with nuts, seeds or dried fruit. • Choose fruit instead of juice. • Freeze a pot of vegetable soup for lunches. • Try Middle Eastern cuisine, such as tabbouleh or falafel. • Keep nuts or cereal mixes available for snacks. • Buy whole-wheat pasta, breads and cereals.

While eating more fiber may be great advice, most people find it difficult to follow.

Foods high in fiber are harder to eat. A burger can be eaten with one hand as we work or drive. Spinach salad, on the other hand, a great source of fiber, takes some time and attention.

But diets high in fiber have stood the test of time, and continue to be recommended by most health experts. Research suggests that fiber may prevent heart disease, diabetes, some forms of cancer and obesity.

What is fiber?

Fiber is found only in plant foods. It is a type of carbohydrate that gives plants their structure. It is not digested or absorbed into the body when eaten. It carries no calories and is not considered a nutrient.

Fiber is not found in any animal-based product, such as dairy or meat. Only traces of fiber are found in heavily processed foods such as white rice, white bread, refined breakfast cereals, most cookies, crackers and regular pasta.

There are two types of fiber, both beneficial in different ways. Soluble fiber such as pectin, found in fruit, dissolves in water. This type helps treat heart disease and diabetes.

Insoluble fiber includes wheat and the cellulose fibers added to high-fiber bread. This type helps us feel full and aids in the digestion of other foods.

With every step of food processing, fiber content is diminished.

Orange juice, for example, has less than 1 gram of fiber per serving, while a fresh orange has 3 grams. Those fluffy, luscious mashed potatoes or delicious french fries also score a zero on the fiber scale, while a baked potato with skin brings 3 grams of fiber.

How much fiber do we need?

The average American diet includes about 11 grams of fiber daily, less than half the amount recommended by health experts, including the surgeon general and the American Heart Association. Recent recommendations are 25 to 38 grams of fiber daily.

A word of caution

Adding too much fiber too quickly can cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Add high-fiber foods gradually, and increase your water or liquid intake to help digestion.

Adding fiber to the diet is a great idea. And with a gradual approach, it will be relatively painless and certainly worthwhile.