Focus on Fiber
Balanced's Focus on Fiber Campaign seeks to spread awareness and inspire action to elevate fiber to the forefront of nutrition conversations. Our campaign is divided into two main components:
Changing fiber’s perception - amplifying its benefits and encouraging its consumption.
Public Awareness
increased support
Supporting schools, hospitals, and other institutions in adding more fiber-rich foods on more menus
Institutional Support
improved access
More Fiber on More Menus
WHY FIBER?
Did you know that up to 97% of people don’t get enough fiber in their diet?
Fiber is found in all the foods known contribute to good health: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Fiber plays a crucial role in:
Heart Health
Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol levels and maintain healthy blood pressure, protecting against heart disease and stroke.
Riccioni et al., 2012
Gut Health
Fiber feeds your gut bacteria, producing beneficial compounds that support digestion and protect against disease.
Guan et al., 2021; Makki et al., 2018
Blood Sugar Regulation
Fiber slows the absorption of sugar, helping to regulate blood sugar levels and prevent glucose spikes.
Weickert and Pfeiffer, 2018
Disease Prevention
Diets low in fiber may raise your risk of allergies, gut issues, diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.
Folkerts et al., 2018; Rajindrajith et al., 2016; Makki et al., 2018; McRae et al., 2018; Riccioni et al., 2012; Kunzmann et al., 2015
FIBER FOR ALL!
Raising Public Awareness
As a country, the United States has a fiber problem - approximately 97% of us are fiber-deficient. At Balanced, we are committed to educating about fiber and how important it is to our daily lives!
Watch Our Videos
Our series of educational videos covers everything you need to know about fiber, from its health benefits to practical tips on increasing your fiber intake. Watch here and check out our YouTube @thebalancedorg for additional fiber content!
Looking for more? Watch our Is It High in Fiber? series to dig into specifics about the fiber content of your favorite foods.
Read Our Blog
You can find accessible nutrition science, food systems commentary, and all things fiber on the Balanced Blog! Read the suggested titles below or browse around the blog to learn more.
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Fiber-Rich Meal Guide
Making fiber-rich eating easier and tastier than ever!
We collaborated with influencers, physicians, and experts to bring you a collection of delicious, fiber-rich recipes - all for free! This e-book is designed to help you incorporate more fiber into your diet in an enjoyable and easy way.
MAKING CHANGE
Supporting Institutions
Almost all U.S. children fail to consume the minimum recommended amount of fiber and our health is suffering as a result. Skyrocketing rates of preventable chronic illnesses like heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and high cholesterol are affecting people younger than ever before.
That's why Balanced launched our Focus on Fiber campaign to spread awareness and inspire action leading to stronger nutrition practices in our schools and communities.
GOALS
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Highlight the evidence indicating a fiber deficit in school meals
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Shed light on current practices that hinder fiber consumption in schools
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Provide evidence-based recommendations to improve the fiber content and overall healthfulness of school meals
Learn More in our White Paper
KEY TAKEAWAYS
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Grains are the number one source of dietary fiber in school meals and account for over half of all fiber on the lunch tray.
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Grains in school meals are often ultra-processed and contain more added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. Pastries alone accounted for 17% of total fiber, or roughly one-third of the fiber attributed to grains!
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Making space for fiber-dense foods requires, to some degree, a reduction in the reliance on foods and beverages containing little to no fiber.
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Highest impact interventions should be focused on diversifying proteins and increasing naturally occurring plant-based fiber.