Fiber is an important nutrient that not only promotes digestive health but also has many other health benefits. Ensuring that you consume an adequate amount of fiber can go a long way towards improving and maintaining your health. This can be done through a high fiber diet.
What Is Fiber?
Fiber is the part of a plant food that your body cannot digest or absorb. It can be found in all plant foods including fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. Fiber is classified as either insoluble or soluble. Insoluble fiber, meaning it does not dissolve in water, helps move material through the digestive tract. Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol and glucose levels.
High Fiber Diet
A high fiber diet is one that includes a variety of high fiber foods and contains an adequate amount of both soluble and insoluble fiber. The Harvard School of Public Health states that the average American only gets about 15g of fiber a day. The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine recommends men consume 38g and women consume 25g of fiber per day, if they are under the age of 50. If age 51 or older, men should get 30g and women 21g.
Health Benefits
Fiber can provide many health benefits. First, it helps regulate your digestive system and normalize your bowel movements. Fiber can also help lower blood cholesterol by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad" cholesterol. According to MayoClinic.com, fiber has been proven to improve heart health by reducing blood pressure and inflammation. In addition, fiber can help you lower blood sugar levels, lose weight, prevent hemorrhoids and may even reduce your risk of colorectal cancer.
Fiber Sources
Fiber is found in all plant foods. Therefore, make sure to include plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet. Sources of soluble fiber include oatmeal, legumes, nuts, seeds, beans, dried peas, apples, pears, strawberries and blueberries. Insoluble fiber can be found in whole wheat bread, barley, brown rice, whole grain cereals, carrots, tomatoes, celery, zucchini and cucumbers. Refined and processed food, like canned fruits and vegetables and white bread, have less fiber because the refining process removes part of the grain, lowering its fiber level.
Considerations
Including more fiber in your diet can be done by making simple modifications. Replace products made with white flour to whole grain products. Eat raw fruits and vegetables as snacks instead of junk food like chips and cookies. Include beans, legumes and other high fiber foods in soups, salads and other meals. Try to get fiber through you diet and not through supplements. Supplements do not contain the vitamins, minerals and beneficial nutrients that high fiber foods do.
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