Fiber, found in fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, is considered to be a carbohydrate that is not digested by the body. The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble. The Harvard School of Public Health recommends over 20 grams of fiber each day for women and over 30 grams daily for men for optimal colon health and to prevent certain diseases.
Soluble Fiber
Oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, dried beans, lentils, oranges, apples and carrots all contain soluble fiber. Soluble fiber attracts water into the intestines and it turns into gel during the digestion process. Soluble fiber also binds with fatty acids and prolongs the emptying of the stomach, which helps you release and absorb sugars slowly.
Soluble Fiber Benefits
Medical News Today states that in a study performed by the University of Illinois, soluble fiber helps reduce inflammation that is associated with obesity-related disease and also helps strengthen the immune system. Soluble fiber also helps reduce your cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol, which is known as unhealthy cholesterol. Lowering your LDL cholesterol can reduce your risk of heart disease. Because soluble fiber helps regulate the release and absorption on sugar, soluble fiber helps a person with diabetes keep his blood sugar stable. Fiber is also an important for weight control, because it helps keep you fuller longer, and according to Medical News Today, the calories from fiber are not absorbed by the body.
Insoluble Fiber
Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your intestines, and controls the pH balance of your intestines. You get insoluble fiber in your diet from eating dark, leafy green vegetables, the skin of fruit, whole-wheat products, corn bran, seeds and nuts.
Insoluble Fiber Benefits
Because insoluble fiber can helps provide bulk in the intestines, it helps regulate your bowel movements and prevents constipation. The bulk also helps speed up the elimination of toxic waste from the colon. Lastly, maintaining an optimal pH in your intestines prevents microbes from releasing harmful substances that have a factor in the development colon cancer.
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