Where do you find fiber? I quizzed.

"I don't have a clue," he said. "Lettuce? Celery? Tomatoes?"

That's right, I said. Basically, plant foods — those that begin life growing in the ground — contain fiber.

"I've got a question," Ted interjected. "Does milk have fiber?"

Does milk come from a plant? I reiterated.

He thought a moment and then said, "Indirectly...." We laughed.

"Does fish have fiber?" he continued.

Remember the definition, I said. Fiber is a family of carbohydrates in fruits, vegetables, grains and other plant-based foods that our human bodies cannot digest. So, no, fish does not have fiber.

Grains like wheat and rye also contain fiber, I continued. But not all foods made from grains are good sources of fiber.

"How come they have to take the fiber out?" Ted asked.

Good question. Why DO they take the fiber out?

"No, I'm asking you, "Ted repeated. "Why do they take the fiber out of bread?"

I don't know, I admitted. It would be better for us if they didn't.

"How can they keep the fiber in bread?"

Well, they can use the whole grain to make flour for bread. That would help.

Ted thought about the sandwich he had for lunch. "Potatoes have fiber ... do they take out the fiber when they make potato bread?"

Let's take a look, I said, heading for the kitchen to find the package. We looked at the Nutrition Facts label.

Let's see...dietary fiber..."Less than 1 gram..."

We looked at each other.

"Booo...!"

I continued to quiz him. So if we want to have bread with fiber, it would be...?

"Whole grain...and not refined to remove the fiber," he said like a real nutrition pro. "It's refined because they've taken the good stuff out of it. What's a good amount of fiber?" Ted wanted to know.

Most of us need 25 grams of fiber a day. So if every slice of bread you eat has less than 1 gram....?

"You have to eat a whole loaf!" he realized.

Or...find bread that has more fiber per slice.

"Does popcorn have fiber?" Ted asked, remembering his snack that day.

What does it look like before you pop it?

"A whole kernel," he said.

Bingo...it's a whole grain. So yes, it does contain fiber.

Last question, I said. Why do people need fiber?

"For their digestion," he said correctly. "And fiber also has vitamin power, doesn't it?"

Some fiber helps exercise your digestive system and keeps you regular, I explained. Other types of fiber — particularly soluble fiber — help lower your cholesterol. No vitamins in fiber. But some fibers actually work in your lower intestine to help your body absorb or digest vitamins and minerals. So fiber is a good thing, right?

"Right," Ted concurred. "I really learned something tonight!"