It is hard to ignore all of the high-fiber claims popping up about your favorite packaged foods. But what is so beneficial about dietary fiber that it's worthy of adding to foods such as milk or bread? Insoluble fiber has been credited with lowering cholesterol, managing blood sugars, aiding weight loss and reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and colon cancer.
What is Insoluble Fiber?
Insoluble fiber is a type of dietary fiber consumed through plant foods that the body does not digest or absorb. It helps to keep things moving along naturally in the digestive tract. Insoluble fiber is found in whole wheat flour, vegetables, legumes, wheat bran and nuts, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Soluble Fiber vs. Insoluble Fiber
There are two types of dietary fiber -- soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber doesn't dissolve in water, while soluble fiber does, but they are both necessary and essential parts of the diet. Good sources of soluble fiber include citrus fruits, peas, oats, apples, carrots and barley. Oatmeal's claim to fame for lowering cholesterol and maintaining blood sugar levels is owed to its high soluble fiber content. Soluble fiber acts like a gel when it mixes with liquids and binds to fatty acids. This helps to prolong stomach emptying so blood sugar is stabilized. Insoluble fiber, meanwhile, is mainly found in the skins, peels and outermost covering of whole foods. It stays mainly intact while it moves through the system to promote regularity and balance the acidity in the intestines. Both types work together, so there is no need to focus on getting one type of fiber over the other.
Benefits
Although the term "fiber" first showed up in the 1950s, high-fiber foods and diets have taken center stage thanks to recent health studies touting its many benefits. Gone are the days of prune juice and fiber's popularity only for alleviating constipation. Recent studies show that diets high in fiber are found to also lower "bad" LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, reduce the risk for heart disease and certain cancers, help to manage diabetes and even aid with weight loss.
How Much is Needed to Reap the Benefits?
Current USDA guidelines suggest that most adult women should aim for at least 20 grams of fiber each day and men should shoot for at least 30 grams. To give you an idea of how much that equates to, an apple has about 3 grams of fiber and a ½ cup serving of beans has about 7 grams. And now many common foods have added fiber to help you reach your daily intake goals. But buyer beware, not all fiber is created equal.
Adding it to Your Diet
Although research shows added fibers have beneficial effects on the body, consuming fiber in its most natural form is the best way to go. If you've ever tried a high-fiber bar with added fibe,r you already know this. Two major mistakes to avoid when adding fiber to your diet is to increase intake too quickly and not drinking enough fluids to help the body process it. So, start small and fill your water bottle to avoid stomach discomfort and dehydration. Start by replacing processed foods such as white bread and refined grains with whole wheat products. The bran is the outer-most part of the grain with the fiber and that is removed in the refining process of foods such as white bread or white rice. If you stick to a diet emphasizing whole foods with minimal processing, you will have no problem reaching the daily fiber recommendations and will start reaping the benefits.
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