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Everything
you want to know about Fiber, but are afraid to Ask!
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Click
for the answer, or scroll to view all...
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Q:
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What
is dietary fiber?
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Q:
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What
are the 2 types of dietary fiber?
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Q:
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What
are pre-biotics?
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Q:
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How
does a high-fiber diet benefit my health?
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Q:
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What
does the colon do?
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Q:
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What
can I do to relieve and prevent constipation?
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Q:
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How
can dietary fiber help prevent diverticulosis?
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Q:
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How
can dietary fiber help relieve Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
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Q:
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How
can dietary fiber help treat colon polyps and cancer?
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Q:
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How
does dietary fiber help lower cholesterol?
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Q:
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How
can dietary fiber help those with (Type 1 & Type 2) Diabetes?
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Q:
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How
do I increase my dietary fiber intake?
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Q:
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What
are some high-fiber foods?
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Q:
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How
do I gain the benefits of fiber, without the gas?
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Q:
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Why
is a dietary fiber supplement helpful?
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Q:
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Why
eat high-fiber cookies?
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Q:
What is dietary fiber?
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A:
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Dietary fiber,
roughage, is a
complex carbohydrate that cannot be digested by the human body.
Fiber comes from the parts of plants which helps maintain its
structure. It may be referred to as: polysaccharides, lignins,
pectins, mucilages, gums, cellulose, and hemicellulose.
Since dietary fiber is not digested or absorbed, it primarily
functions in the colon.
Although, dietary fiber is
not digestible, it remains an
important part of your diet. Fiber adds bulk and absorbs water. This
in turn keeps food moving through your digestive system and
softens stool for easy elimination.
The secret to getting enough fiber is to eat a well-balanced diet
that includes a variety of high-fiber foods. Dietary fiber is
divided into two types which is essential to the functioning of
your digestive system.
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Q:
What are the 2 types of dietary fiber?
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A:
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1. Soluble fiber:
Forms a gel-like material in water; many refer to soluble fiber as
"sponge-like." Soluble fiber helps to soften
stool, improve post-meal blood sugars, and lower cholesterol.
Good sources of soluble fiber include oats, beans, peas,
and fruit pectins. Soluble fiber, in addition,
absorbs many times its weight in water; this results in softer
stools.
2. Insoluble fiber:
Does not dissolve in water. Insoluble fiber increases the movement
of your digestive system allowing waste to move more quickly.
Insoluble fiber helps keep you regular by bulking up the stool and
promoting colonic movement. Good sources include wheat bran,
whole-grain cereals and breads, and many vegetables.
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Type
of Fiber:
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Insoluble
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Soluble
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Difference:
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Does
not dissolve in water
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Dissolves
in water and forms a gel
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Effect:
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Speeds
passage of food
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Slows
passage of food
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Helps
with:
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Constipation,
hemorrhoids, diverticulosis
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High
blood cholesterol
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Food
sources:
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Wheat
bran, whole grain breads and cereals, fruits and
vegetables
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Oat
and rice bran, dried peas and beans, barley, fruits and
vegetables
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Information
from the Joslin Diabetes Center at www.joslin.org
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Q:
What are pre-biotics and how does it benefit my health?
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A:
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The new
dietary term used to describe some fibers, pectins, or gums is
"prebiotic." Pre-biotics undergo almost complete fermentation in
the gut. Once fermented, fiber becomes an important
source of energy for healthy intestinal bacteria growth. Pre-biotics
are a healthy and
essential part of our diets: They help to prevent diarrhea
and promote a normal balance of water in the colon.
How does it
work? Pre-biotics are
fermented in the large intestine, producing short-chain fatty acids.
These short-chain fatty acids decrease the pH of the
large intestine, promoting growth of the beneficial organisms such
as, Lactobacillus and Bifido bacteria sp, and limiting the growth
of harmful organisms, such as Proteus and Staphylococci sp. These
positive changes in the large intestine helps to decrease diseases.
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Q:
How does a high-fiber diet benefit my health?
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A:
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Dietary fiber helps keep the colon, large
intestine, functioning normally. Fiber helps correct colon
disorders, like constipation, irritable
bowel syndrome (IBS), colon polyps, diverticulosis,
and hemorrhoids.
Fiber is also important in helping to treat colon cancer, diabetes,
and elevated cholesterol.
As early as 2002, the U.S. National Academy of
Sciences (NAS) established guidelines for dietary fiber intake.
These guides state that women and men should eat a wide variety of
foods, providing 25 and 38 grams of daily fiber,
respectively. In addition, children (ages 2 - 18) should eat fiber
according to their age: Add 5 to 10 to the child's age to
approximate the appropriate fiber grams intake. Most
children and adults consume only half of their recommended daily
dietary fiber!
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Q:
What does the colon do?
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A:
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The
2 most noted functions of the colon are 1) providing a conduit to
allow waste to leave the body and 2) maintaining fluid balance.
If the colon allows waste to pass too quickly, then not enough
water will absorbed, resulting in watery stools and diarrhea.
On the other hand,
if waste passes too slowly, then too much water is re-absorbed,
resulting in hard stools and constipation. Chronic constipation
can be a serious disorder leading to impaction (blockage of the
digestive tract).
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Q:
What can I do to relieve and prevent constipation?
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A:
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Constipation is when a
person has three bowel movements or less in a week. The stool is
usually hard and/or dry. Sometimes it maybe painful to pass and
cause a feeling of "dragginess" or fullness. Some people
believe that they
should have a bowel movement every day. That is not really true.
There is no "right" number of bowel movements a day.
Each person's body finds its own normal number of bowel movements.
Most people have 1 - 2 bowel movements; and at least 3 large bowel
movements a week.
1. Eat more fiber.
Fiber helps to form soft, bulky
stools. Fiber is found in most vegetables, fruits, and grains.
Look at food labels and see how much fiber is available from
each item. Slowly increase fiber intake to 10
grams of dietary fiber per meal, aiming for 25-35 grams of fiber
per day. When you cannot eat fibrous foods, it is good to use one
of ND Labs' all-natural fiber supplements, such as Regularity Plus
(Fiber 7), CVF, Clear 2 Go, Liquid Fiber Flow, Fiber Supreme, or Apple
Fiber.
These supplements can be easily added during
cooking or mixed into salads and yogurts. They are a healthy
way to ensure daily fiber adequacy. Be sure to check with
your health care professional before you make any dietary changes. Limit foods that
have little or no fiber such as white breads, white rice, snacks like
potato chips, sugar candies, and refined/processed foods.
2. Drink plenty of water, fruit & vegetable juices,
broths, and other non-caffeinated beverages.
Liquid helps keep the stool soft
and easy to pass, so it is important to stay hydrated. One should
try to have up to 8 cups of beverages everyday. Try not to
drink liquids with caffeine or alcohol in them. They may dry out
your system.
3. Exercise.
A nice 20 to 30 minute daily walk
does help! Regular exercise helps your system stay active and
healthy. You don't need to become a great athlete.
4. Allow yourself enough time to
have a bowel movement.
The bowel movements you have depends
on the foods you eat, what you drink, how much you exercise, and
perhaps your stress level. At
one time or another almost everyone gets constipated. In most
cases, it lasts for a short time and is not serious. When you
understand the causes of constipation, you can take steps to
prevent it.
Changing what you eat, drink, and how much you
exercise, will help relieve and prevent constipation. Here are
some steps you can take:
Sometimes we are so hurried that we
don't pay attention to our body's needs or sit long enough in the
bathroom. Make sure you don't ignore the urge to have a bowel
movement.
5. Limit the use of laxatives.
Use them only when a
doctor says you should.
Laxatives are medications that will
make you pass a stool. Although most are safe, some do have side
effects and should not be taken everyday. Most people who are mildly constipated do
not need laxatives. However, if you are doing all the right things
and you are still constipated, your doctor may recommend laxatives
for a limited time.
Daily use of some laxatives may cause further constipation.
6. Check with your doctor about
other medications, as well as dietary supplements.
Some medications cause
constipation. These include pain killers, some antacids, diuretics (water pills),
anti-depressants, and calcium and iron supplements. If you're taking constipating
medications, ask your doctor if there are any others that are less constipating.
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Q:
How can dietary fiber help prevent diverticulosis?
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A:
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Low-fiber
diets cause increased pressure on the colon. This increased pressure causes
small balloon-like pockets to form. Usually these pockets
cause no harm. However, they can become
infected; this condition is known as diverticulitis. They may even
perforate (break open), creating infection or inflammation of the abdomen
lining, known as peritonitis. A high-fiber diet increases the
stool bulk, reducing the colon's contraction pressure, and
preventing these balloon-like pockets from being formed.
When the pockets are infected, a condition
known as diverticulitis, physicians
and dietitians recommend restricting the following foods: nuts and
seeds (including: poppy, caraway, sesame, rye), popcorn, crunchy
peanut butter, corn, and squash; as well as fruits and
vegetables with seeds such as strawberries, figs, tomatoes, and
cucumbers.
However, when diverticulosis is in remission (pockets are not
infected), these foods may be included in one's high-fiber diet. Check with your physician for
specific guidelines.
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Q:
How does dietary fiber help relieve the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
(IBS)?
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A:
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Irritable
bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders of the
lower digestive tract, colon. Technically IBS is not a
disease: IBS is a term used to call a combination of bothersome symptoms,
including chronic constipation, diarrhea, or
both alternately. One may also experience abdominal bloating, cramping,
spasm, and pain.
An IBS attack can be triggered by tension,
anxiety, poor dietary habits, and/or including certain medications. Increasing fiber intake can help relieve the symptoms of IBS by
producing soft, bulky stools. This helps to normalize the time it
takes for the stool to pass through the colon. In addition,
liquids help keep the stool soft.
IBS, if left untreated,
may lead to diverticulosis (pockets of fluid). Regularity Plus, as
well as Apple
Fiber, are often used to help control the
symptoms of IBS.
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Q:
How can dietary fiber help treat colon polyps and cancer?
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A:
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Colon
cancer often begins as a polyp, a benign mushroom-shaped growth.
In time it grows, and in some people, becomes cancerous. If polyps
are removed when found, or if surgery is performed at an early
stage, then colon cancer is "curable." Some people may carry a gene
which increases the risk of developing colon
cancer. Eating a low-fiber diet will increase the risk for polyps, and
therefore developing colon cancer.
The theory is that a low-fiber diet allows
carcinogens (cancer-containing agents) to remain in contact with
the colon wall for a longer period of time and in higher
concentrations than high-fiber diets. Large, bulky stools help to dilute these
carcinogens by moving them through the bowel more quickly. Less
carcinogenic exposure to the colon mean fewer colon polyps and
less cancer.
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Q:
How can dietary fiber help those with Diabetes?
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A:
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Studies have proven
that people with diabetes can lower their post-meal blood
sugars by increasing the amount of dietary fiber consumed per
meal.
Therefore, health professionals recommend
these patients with diabetes to increase their daily fiber
intake. The target level recommended is 10-15 grams of dietary
fiber per meal, or 35 to 45 grams per day. The
average American barely consumes 10 -12 grams of fiber everyday!
How does fiber
help? Soluble fiber forms a gel which acts as a diffusion barrier in the
intestine. Hence, glucose levels do not rise as fast or as
high. This creates less of an insulin demand. Therefore
sources of dietary fiber need to be present at each and every meal
in order to have an overall effect on blood sugar control.
To prevent bloating
and minimize gas, consume a balance of both soluble and insoluble
fibers. The American Diabetes Association also approves
supplementing your fiber intake with products such as Fiber
Supreme, Supreme Flax 50/50, and Regularity Plus. For
example, for breakfast, you may eat a 1/2 cup with oatmeal (3
grams of fiber) with a tablespoon of Fiber Supreme (7 grams), for
a total of 10 grams. Before making any changes to your diet, please consult
your healthcare provider.
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Q:
How do I increase my dietary fiber intake?
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A:
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Only
plant foods contain fiber. Therefore, if you can't eat enough fiber in
your regular diet, you should add a fiber supplement. A fiber for
all your needs is just a click away: Pure Apple Fiber, Regularity
Plus, Fiber Supreme, Supreme Flax 50/50, Clear 2 Go, Liquid Fiber
Flow and CVF. We also carry delicious fiber-rich cookies: 5
flavors of Chips to
Go! Please consult your health care provider before making
any dietary changes.
There are lots
of other ways you can substitute high fiber for low fiber foods in
your eating plan, such as:
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Eat fruit and
vegetables with the skin or peel on.
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Add low fat
granola to yogurt to fresh fruit.
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Each whole grain
cereal (at least four grams of fiber/serving) with fresh fruit
for breakfast.
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Use whole grain
breads and cereals that have WHOLE grain flour listed as the
first ingredient.
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Eat popcorn,
vegetables or high fiber crackers for snacks.
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Eat brown rice
instead of white.
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Eat the skin on
baked or mashed potatoes.
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Include
more beans & legumes (kidney beans, chick peas, lentils)
in your meals: add to casseroles, chili, burritos, soups, and
salads.
Increase
your fiber intake gradually. Also, drink at least
eight cups of decaffeinated beverages each day to avoid
constipation. When reading a nutrition label, choose foods with
three or more grams of dietary fiber per serving.
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Q:
What are some high-fiber foods?
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A:
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Fruits: Apples, Berries (strawberries,
blackberries, raspberries), Oranges, Peaches, Plums,
Nectarines, Tangerines and many more...
Vegetables: Broccoli,
Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Spinach (and
other green leafy vegetables), Squashes, Zucchini and many
more....
Breads, Cereals & Beans: Black-eyed
peas, Chick peas, Kidney beans, Lima beans, Wholegrain cereals -
hot & cold (All-Bran, Total, Bran Flakes, Oatmeal, Wheatena),
Whole grain breads and more.
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Q:
How do I gain the benefits of fiber, without the gas?
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A:
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No:
Insoluble fiber does not create gas. Insoluble fiber is
found in wheat, rye, bran, and other grains; you can add an
insoluble fiber supplement like Regularity Plus.
Soluble fiber, on the other hand, is a
feed-source for the beneficial bacteria found within the colon
(which is what causes gas). Soluble fiber, among its many
benefits, binds up cholesterol and enables it to be eliminated
with the stool. It can lower blood cholesterol by 10-15%.
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Q:
Why is a dietary fiber supplement helpful?
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A:
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The
recommended daily fiber is 25 to 25 grams per day; for children,
add 10 grams to their age. Since many Americans barely
consume 10 grams of fiber each day, a dietary fiber supplement can
help achieve optimal health and regularity. Moreover, many
people don't tolerate fibrous foods well:
If you can't consume
enough fiber in your diet, you should add a fiber supplement like
Pure Apple Fiber, Regularity Plus, Fiber Supreme, Supreme Flax
50/50, Clear 2 Go, Liquid Fiber Flow and CVF Fiber. ND Labs also
offers delicious fiber-rich snacks like Dried Apple Slices and
Chips to Go.
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Q:
Why eat high-fiber cookies?
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A:
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High-fiber
cookies are a great-tasting way to supplement your daily dietary
fiber intake. ND Labs offers 5 varieties of high-fiber
cookies: Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Vanilla Almond,
Vanilla Rainbow, and Oatmeal Raisin.
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© 2006 ND Labs, Inc. All
rights reserved. For more information, please contact us at
1.888.2.ND.LABS
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