Jack was climbing up the beanstalk and ran into Fiberlady. She was heartily munching on some beans. He asked her what's with the high fiber food. She wiped the bean juice from her chin and replied that she was fulfilling her daily quota of 25 grams of fiber. Her handful of beans was worth about 8 or 9 grams alone. For the rest of the day, she had planned a menu that included plenty of whole grain breads, veggies, and fruit. She told Jack how simple it was to reach her fiber count for each day. Foods high in fiber are commonly grown and easily found at the local village market.

Fiberlady noticed how the beanstalk was bending unnaturally from Jack's weight, so she told him how a high fiber diet can help him lose some unwanted pounds. A fiber-rich meal is processed more slowly, which makes us feel satisfied sooner. Guess what? You eat less and lose weight.

Apparently, Jack had been consuming the classic Westernized diet of an excess of overly processed grains, sugars, and fats. At least he was getting some good exercise by climbing and climbing. He complained about the latest results of his cholesterol count. It was evident that he was unaware of the benefits of a high fiber diet. To his amazement, he learned that dietary fiber binds cholesterol and bile in the digestive tract, preventing their reabsorption and re-circulation. If less cholesterol is absorbed, the level goes down.

He discreetly mentioned that the giant was constipated causing much noisy effect around the castle. Fiberlady told him that a well-balanced diet of fiber-rich foods such as unprocessed bran, whole-grain bread, fresh fruits, and vegetables can lessen the chances of constipation. High-fiber diets increase stool size which naturally helps prevent constipation. She cautioned that without a good deal of fluids, fiber might stall and bring about constipation. He said he would share this information with the giant's great, big, tall wife who was in the habit of serving boys broiled on toast.

Fee-fi-fo-fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman,
Be he alive, or be he dead,
I'll have his bones to grind my bread.

If the giant must, Fiberlady suggests the following tasty high fiber recipe for this semi-sweet, dark, hearty bread. Race you to the top of the food pyramid, Jack.

Molasses Oat Bran Bread
yield: 2 round loaves/15 servings

Ingredients:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 pinch white sugar
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup molasses
1 cup oat bran
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oat bran

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and a pinch of sugar in warm water. Set aside to rest for about 5 minutes.

2. Mix butter or margarine and molasses into yeast. Add 1 cup oat bran, 2 cups flour, and salt. Stir, and add flour as needed to make dough stick together. When dough forms a ball, turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, adding flour as needed to make a slightly sticky and moist dough. Place in a buttered bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

3. Punch down, and form into two round or oval loaves. Place on a greased baking sheet, and allow to rise 1 hour, or until loaves have doubled in size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon oat bran on top of the loaves.

4. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the tops are a nice dark brown and the bottoms of the loaves sound hollow when tapped.

Per serving: Calories: 132; Total Fat: 2.5 grams
Fiber: 4.1 grams