ABSTRACT
Nutrition educators agree consumers should increase intake of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber, both for the beneficial health effects of these dietary ingredients and as a means to reduce dietary fat intake. Interest in dietary fiber has varied throughout the 20th century, but dietary guidance since the 1970s has consistently recommended increased dietary fiber in our diets. The USDA food pyramid recommends 6-11 servings from the grain group, 3-5 servings from the vegetable group, and 2-4 servings from the fruit group. Dietary Guidelines for Americans support increased intake of starch and dietary fiber in the form of bread, cereal, rice, pasta, and foods from the vegetable and fruit group. The National Research Council in 1989 recommended Americans eat every day five or more servings of a combination of vegetables and fruits, especially green and yellow vegetables and citrus fruits. They also recommend an increase in starches and other complex carbohydrates by eating six or more daily servings of a combination of breads, cereals, and legumes. Specifically, the 1987 FASEB report recommended Americans consume 10-13 grams of dietary fiber per 1,000 kilocalo-ries consumed. Other dietary fiber recommendations have been published and are in the range of 20-35 grams/day.
