Leprechauns Go For The Green Of High Fiber Foods

Is it really the luck of the Irish or do they just recognize the importance of foods high in fiber? There really is no luck involved. It's an awareness of the overall health benefits of a high fiber diet. The most typical dish common to all of our March menus is corned beef and cabbage. Delicious, but enjoy it with a sprinkling of advice from Fiberlady. With all due respect to Irish culture and tradition, Fiberlady must stay true to her mission. Opt for high fiber foods. St. Patrick's Day is the ideal time to offer all of those green foods that you know are so beneficial to all of the leprechauns in your life. Besides the obvious green lettuce, share some broccoli, Swiss chard, spinach, green beans, asparagus and green peas. Not only are these green foods enormously healthy, many of them help curb heart disease, lower cholesterol and inhibit some cancers. Heart disease is the leading factor of death for American men and women today. To add salt to the wound, more than 95 million Americans have high cholesterol, a major contributor to heart disease. Saturated fats are the major culprit in raising blood cholesterol. Those who have high cholesterol levels should be watching their entire diet, not just the meat portion. Reducing the amount of fatty foods is as important as choosing leaner cuts of red meat when trying to lower cholesterol. Protect yourself and those you love against heart disease and high cholesterol by eating more fruits and vegetables. Exercising regularly, maintaining a normal body weight, choosing unsaturated fats and including 20-35 grams of high fiber in your daily diet will all contribute to a healthier you, whether you are Irish or not so Irish. Preparing the ever popular corned beef supper this season can be less damaging to the arteries if you reduce your portion of fatty corned beef. No need to eliminate it entirely, just include more accompaniments such as fiber-rich cabbage and turnips. Whole grain Irish soda bread can be served to round out a high fiber menu for the St. Patrick's meal. Fiberlady wonders how many grams of fiber there are in a four leaf clover. No matter. It's the quest to find that four leaf clover that makes all of the difference. If you find one, enjoy the promise of good luck and continue the quest for good health. Corned Beef with Cabbage and Boiled Vegetables Makes 6 servings Ingredients: 1