All dietary fiber comes from plants. Vegetables, fruits, dried beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains contain forms of complex carbohydrates, or fiber, that your body can't digest. Unlike sugars and starches, fiber does not raise your blood sugar. Because plant fiber lends volume to food without adding calories or fat, high-fiber foods can satisfy your appetite while helping you control your weight. Eating 25 to 30 g of fiber per day can help you avoid the health risks associated with diabetes.
Significance
Although fiber can be considered a carbohydrate, your body absorbs few, if any, nutrients from it. However, fiber plays vital roles in the digestion and absorption of your food. When you eat a food that's rich in fiber, the sugars or starches in that food break down more slowly, decreasing the effects of those sugars and starches on your blood glucose. When your blood glucose levels are consistently high, your risk of diabetes complications such as stroke, heart disease and kidney disease increases. If you have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, elevated blood glucose levels can impair your ability to produce or utilize insulin.
Types
The two basic forms of plant fiber affect digestion and blood glucose in different ways. Insoluble fiber, also known as roughage, does not dissolve in water. Roughage passes through your digestive tract largely unabsorbed, helping waste move through your system by stimulating muscle movement in the colon. Whole wheat, brown rice, wheat bran and nonstarchy vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes and celery are rich in insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves partially in water and turns viscous in your digestive tract. Apples, berries, citrus fruits, nuts and seeds, dried beans and oatmeal provide soluble fiber.
Benefits
Adding fiber-rich foods to your diet can can help you keep your blood sugar within your desired range. Eating high-fiber snacks between meals and high-fiber grains and vegetables for lunch and dinner will keep you feeling full all day and help you lose or maintain your weight. Soluble fiber slows the digestion of carbohydrate-containing foods, so their carbohydrates break down into glucose gradually and won't spike your blood sugar.
Recommendations
If your diet has been low in fiber, gradually increase your fiber intake until you're eating 25 to 30 g per day. Focus on foods that contain 2.5 to 5 g of fiber. If you're counting carbohydrate grams to control your blood sugar, the American Diabetes Association says you can subtract 5 carbohydrate grams from any food that contains 5 or more grams of dietary fiber. As you're adding fiber to your diet, drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water per day to prevent constipation, gas and bloating.
Suggestions
Include more fiber in your diet by substituting whole-grain breads, pasta and cereals for products made from refined flour. Eat one piece of fresh fruit and one serving of fresh vegetables as a snack each day. At least two or three times a week, prepare a meal featuring legumes as your main course. Work with your health care provider to monitor your blood glucose levels as you add more fiber to your diet.
