Facts on Fiber

1. Know Your Fibers

Insoluble fiber is fiber that helps move material through your digestive system. It's great for people who are having constipation problems. Nuts, wheat bran, whole-wheat flour and a variety of vegetables are great sources of insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is fiber that dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance that can help lower blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol. You can find soluble fiber in peas, oats, beans, citrus fruits and other fruits and vegetables.

2. Lose Weight With Fiber

You can recognize fiber as carbohydrates that the body can't digest. High fiber foods make meals feel larger, so you stay fuller for longer periods of time. Foods high in fiber are also energy dense, so you eat fewer calories for a similar amount of food. Also, since high fiber foods take longer to chew, it gives your brain a better chance to register when it's full, and this helps prevent overeating to aid in weight loss.

3. Keeping it Regular

Fiber, known for its ability to keep you regular and for preventing constipation, does this by making it easier for food to move through your system and increases the bulk of your stool. If you're suffering from constipation, adding more fiber to your diet is a quick and effective way to get and keep you regular. For women, the recommended daily fiber intake is 25 grams, and for men it's 30 grams.

4. Control Blood Sugar With Fiber

A high fiber diet can help lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes happens when the body can't produce enough insulin to keep the body's blood sugar at normal levels. High blood sugar levels that persist over time that can affect many of the body's organs characterize Type 2 diabetes. Soluble fiber can help slow the absorption of sugar into the blood stream, so if you're diabetic it can be an excellent addition to your diet by helping to control your glucose levels.

5. Lower Your Risk of Digestive Disorders

Outside of aiding with constipation, a high fiber diet can reduce the risk of getting other digestive disorders. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with symptoms of abdominal pain, cramping, gas diarrhea and bloating, hemorrhoids and diverticular disease, characterized by small pouches that appear on your colon, are some of the digestive disorders that a high fiber diet can help prevent.