It fills us up without adding a lot of calories. It slows digestion and keeps blood sugar stable after meals (keeping us from reaching for more munchies). It can cut cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease, and it may even slash the threat of certain cancers.

Yet most Americans get only about half of the fiber they need every day, according to the American Dietetic Association. The fiber RDA is 21 to 38 grams.

Meg Woodard, a trained chef and registered dietitian at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in La Jolla, Calif., said there are essentially two types of fiber people need to know about - soluble and insoluble.

"Soluble fiber is like a sponge that helps soak up the bad cholesterol, and insoluble is like a broom that sweeps out the waste in our body," Woodard said. "Soluble foods include beans, oatmeal, apples and pears. Insoluble fiber comes from such foods as whole wheat, corn bran, celery and green beans - easy veggies to get in."

Woodard says one of the culprits in a low-fiber diet is fast-food restaurants with their lack of whole-grain, fruit and veggie menu options. But getting adequate amounts of fiber into your diet needn't be dreary or difficult.

"Breaking it out into three sections is a good way to look at it," Woodard said. "People who get their daily fiber in start at breakfast. It can be as effortless as having a bowl of whole-grain cereal with a cup of berries."

At lunch, consider jazzing up a green salad with a few tablespoons of black beans and a sprinkling of nuts. For snacks, pair nuts and dried fruit. At dinner, add a cup of broccoli and a medium sweet potato to whatever lean protein you have planned.

Finish up the day with a dessert of fruit and yogurt or some whole-grain granola atop the yogurt, she suggested.

Woodard offers these other tips to get your fill of fiber:

- Set a goal of serving two meatless meals a week, making beans and grains the main components.

- Swap out white bread for whole-wheat bread. Instead of white rice, have brown rice.

- Eat your fruit, don't drink it.

Woodard also advises adding fiber gradually if you are not used to it. Start by adding a serving of fiber-rich food every day to your diet and increase your water intake.

BALSAMIC-GLAZED BERRIES

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons agave nectar

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup fresh blackberries

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh mint (optional)

Yields 2 servings.

Place vinegar and agave nectar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook mixture until reduced by 1/2, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove mixture from heat. Divide berries between 2 salad or dessert plates. Drizzle each serving with 1/2 the vinegar glaze. Garnish with chopped mint, if desired.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 100 calories, 2 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 0.8 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 9.5 g fiber, 8 mg sodium.

COUSCOUS WITH ZUCCHINI AND ALMONDS

3 small zucchini, sliced

1 small brown or yellow onion, sliced

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon canola oil

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

2 cups whole-wheat couscous, uncooked

1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped carrots

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

6 green onions, sliced

3 tablespoons sliced, toasted almonds

Yields 10 servings.

Saute zucchini, brown onion and curry powder in canola oil for a few minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil; add couscous, Mrs. Dash and salt. Turn off heat. Cover and let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Add carrots, parsley, green onions and almonds. Fluff gently to combine and serve.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 212 calories, 9 g protein, 41 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7.3 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 113 mg sodium.

RED QUINOA AND BLACK BEAN SALAD

1 cup red or regular quinoa, dry

2 cups water

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup Trader Joe's Double Roasted Salsa, or your favorite salsa

2 green onions, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons grated soy cheese

Yields 4 (1-cup) servings.

Add quinoa to 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer about 10 to 15 minutes, until all water is absorbed. Place quinoa in medium bowl. Add black beans and salsa and gently mix until combined. Place in serving bowls and garnish with green onions, cilantro and grated cheese.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 264 calories, 12 g protein, 48 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 8.4 g fiber, 192 mg sodium.

- All recipes from the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.

FIBER SOURCES

Food, serving, total grams of fiber

Barley 1/2 cup, 4 g

Oatmeal, cooked 1/2 cup, 2 g

Psyllium seeds, ground, 1 tablespoon, 6 g

Apple, 1 medium, 4 g

Blackberries, 1/2 cup, 4 g

Pear, 1 medium, 4 g

Black beans, cooked, 1/2 cup, 5.5 g

Kidney beans, cooked, 1/2 cup, 6 g

Pinto beans, cooked, 1/2 cup, 7 g

Lentils, cooked, 1/2 cup, 8 g

Broccoli, cooked, 1/2 cup, 1.5 g

Brussels sprouts, cooked, 1/2 cup, 4.5 g

Carrots, cooked, 1/2 cup, 2.5 g

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