Fiber on the Side, Please

Nutritionally speaking, we tend to go through fads. Low-fat and fat-free were sent from marketing heaven to make us believe we could eat an entire package of Mallomars without gaining an ounce. And so we gorged, wondering why our jeans were getting snug. Realization! Fat is not the enemy but the very giver of flavor to most foods. Take out the fat, you take out the flavor. Cardboard Mallomars just don't satisfy that chocolate craving. Solution? Up the sugar levels. Still no/low-fat but we're zoning in and out of near diabetic comas.

Now the dietary buzz word is "fiber". Indeed, a well functioning intestinal tract is something to strive for. Leafy greens and whole grains should be part of a well-balanced diet. Got it!

But does it have to be in everything? The latest advertising for a popular brand of sugar packets boasted its fiber content. Sugar and fiber in the same little envelope? While it may be some kind of nutritional milestone, it's difficult to wrap my head around the concept.

What do you think of when I say "sugar"? Sweetness, candy, sugar plum fairies, and all that's enjoyable, comforting and tasty. Fiber -- well, there's simply no joy in fiber. It's one of those you-know-you-should-eat-it-so-you-do foods. Mom forced you to eat your vegetables. She probably never made you eat sugar.

Two lumps of sugar, please. I'll take my fiber on the side.