Eat more fiber. You have probably heard this before, but do you know why it is good for your health?
Dietary fiber is found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and edible vegetables. Its most important property is to prevent and eliminate constipation . But high-fiber foods can have other benefits, such as helping to maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
It is not difficult to choose delicious foods that are high in fiber. First find the amount of fiber you need daily and what fiber foods provide it, and then add it to your meals and snacks.
What is dietary fiber?
Dietary fiber is also known as bulky grains and is a part of plant foods that the body cannot digest or absorb. Unlike other foods, such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates that are broken down and absorbed during the digestive process, they are not digested. Instead, the fibers pass through your stomach, small and large intestines relatively intact and leave your body.
This nutrient is usually classified into water-soluble or insoluble, which does not dissolve.
Soluble fiber:
This type of fiber dissolves in water like jelly. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and sesame.
Insoluble fiber:
This type of fiber facilitates the movement of substances in the digestive system and increases the volume of feces . Therefore, insoluble fiber can be useful for those who suffer from constipation or have an irregular bowel movement. Whole wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, and vegetables such as cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes are good sources of insoluble fiber.
Most plant-based foods, such as oatmeal and beans, contain soluble and insoluble fiber. However, the amount of each in plant foods is varied. Eat a wide range of high-fiber foods for maximum health.
Properties of high fiber diet
A high-fiber diet has numerous benefits, including:
Normalize bowel movements:
Dietary fiber increases and softens the weight and size of your stool. Large stools pass more easily and reduce the risk of diarrhea . If the stool is loose and watery, fiber may help it harden because it absorbs water and gives the stool volume.
Help maintain gut health:
A high-fiber diet may reduce the risk of developing hemorrhoids and small cysts in your colon. Some fibers are fermented in the large intestine. Researchers are looking at what role this plays in preventing colon disease.
Cholesterol lowering:
The soluble fiber in beans, barley, flaxseed, and oat bran can help lower blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol.
Help control blood sugar levels:
In people with diabetes, fiber (especially soluble fiber) can reduce sugar absorption and help raise blood sugar levels . A healthy diet that contains insoluble fiber may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Helping to achieve a healthy weight:
High-fiber foods fill more volume than low-fiber foods. So you tend to eat less and stay full longer, and high-fiber foods take longer to eat and have a lower energy density, meaning they have fewer calories in a certain amount of food.
Another property attributed to the fiber diet is the prevention of colon cancer. However, the evidence for a reduction in bowel cancer is unclear.