Those interested in getting more dietary fiber should focus on whole grain products within the breads, cereals, rice and pasta food group. Whole grain breads, bran cereals and other whole grain foods can easily provide more than half of the recommended daily levels of dietary fiber. If your current diet does not include many fiber-rich foods, introduce them slowly. Be sure to drink from six to eight glasses of water or other liquids when you increase fiber-rich foods in your diet. Foods made from cereal grains provide starches, or complex carbohydrates, which provide an excellent energy source, especially for those on low-fat diets.
Carbohydrates have less than half the energy value of fats.
Breads, cereals and pasta made from whole grains are also a source of fiber. Fiber helps to regulate bowel function and relieve constipation. Fiber may be a protective factor for coronary heart disease and certain types of cancer. Foods from this food group provide many of the essential B vitamins, which play important roles in the body's enzyme systems, aiding energy utilization and the growth processes. Enriched breads and cereals are also a source of iron.