A recent study published in The Lancet found that there is “moderate evidence” that higher consumption of dietary fiber was associated with lower body weight and systolic blood pressure. That definitely got my attention, right? If simply eating more fiber can contribute to weight loss and better control of blood pressure, why not!

So, I did a little research into fiber. Sure, we get tons of fiber from fruits and vegetables but for those of us “carboholics”, where is our source of fiber? In bread of course! What I found in my “non-scientific study” is that all breads are not alike! We are only fooling ourselves when we buy “Buttertop Wheat Bread” and think we are being healthy. We need to read the labels, “whole wheat” bread has 3.0 grams of fiber compared to 1.0 grams in the “buttertop wheat” option. Doesn’t sound like much but considering the average woman should eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, it adds up!

Bottom line, healthy lifestyles need a wide assortment of all food groups and if whole wheat bread isn’t appetizing to you, how about 24 almonds (3.3 grams) or better yet, a half a cup of lentils has 7.5 grams of fiber! A word of caution, read the nutrition label on the products you buy, don’t be fooled by the bold print on the label “wheat bread”, stay well, stay informed and stay tuned!