HEALTH BENEFITS OF FIBER
Dietary fiber is very beneficial for your health and digestive system, and can help prevent disease and other health ailments.
The National Cancer Institute suggests consuming between 20 and 30 grams of dietary fiber per day.
Because your body lacks the digestive enzymes needed to break the bonds that hold fiber units together, it is not a source of calories in your diet. Dietary fiber is one of nature’s best zero calorie products and plays a valuable role in keeping you healthy.
There are 2 types of dietary fiber:
Soluble Fiber – Dissolves in water
- Found in apples, strawberries, citrus fruits, beans, oats, rice and barley
Insoluble Fiber – Doesn’t dissolve in water
- Found in whole grains, beans and other plants
The benefits of Dietary Fiber:
Helps to prevent the following conditions:
- Diverticulitis (adds bulk)
- Constipation (keeps things moving)
- Heart Disease (removes cholesterol)
- Diabetes (Doesn’t contribute to blood sugar spikes)
Helps your digestive system:
- Keeps you regular by adding bulk to stool and stimulating the intestinal walls (helping to move contents along)
- Softens stool by pulling water into the colon
- Lowers cholesterol level by binding with it and removing it from the body during digestion
- Helps you feel full without calories
- Because fiber is not digestible, you are actually taking in fewer calories when eating a high-fiber meal.
*Most foods containing fiber have both kinds.