We should all understand that getting enough fiber in your diet could help prevent many of the most common health problems.
Illnesses such as Colon cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol, breast cancer, constipation, hemorrhoids, and strokes can all be prevented with the aid of fiber.
But unfortunately, many of us don’t get enough fiber, causing numerous health circumstances such as those listed above.
Bleached flour and other refined foods increase the onset of such serious diseases as cancer and heart disease.
In countries where people eat natural foods and avoid refined carbohydrates and foods, these conditions appear at a much smaller rate.
Researchers and doctors alike have concluded that fiber is one substance we should not live without.
What is fiber?
There are two types of fiber.
The first type is Soluble fiber.
Soluble fiber forms a gel-like coating in the intestines.
The fiber catches cholesterol before it goes into the bloodstream, decreasing the risk of stroke and heart disease.
You can find soluble fiber in fruits, legumes, and oats.
The second type is Insoluble fiber
This type of fiber soaks up water as it goes through the intestines, helping to prevent constipation and hemorrhoids.
Insoluble fiber also binds to estrogen found in the intestines, in turn allowing less of the hormone to enter the bloodstream.
Some researchers have found that this can help to lower the risk of breast cancer.
Are you getting enough fiber?
It’s recommended you do because fiber is an immensely important component in aiding digestion.
What makes Fiber?
To put it simply, fiber is a complex carbohydrate as opposed to a pure sugar.
When you eat complex carbohydrates or foods rich in fiber, the release of sugar into the bloodstream is constant instead of excessive.
It’s recommended many individuals with diabetes eat a high fiber diet because the regular release of sugar is ideal and helps not to agitate insulin resistance.
Diabetes patient or not, simple carbohydrates such as potatoes, white bread, white pasta, creams and soft drinks should be avoided.
To restrict simple carbohydrates, you should look for foods where sugars, starches, and fibers occur naturally.
For instance, sugars occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, milk and milk products.
Starches can be found naturally in vegetables, grains, beans, and peas.
Natural fibers are predominantly found in fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.
This is a general categorization, but it means you can still have the foods you love and be fiber-friendly.
For example, you can make spaghetti using whole grain/wheat pasta and natural tomato sauce.
For breakfast, try oatmeal with fresh raspberries or another fruit. Try a fresh garden salad with lots of veggies, kidney beans and hummus for an excellent fiber boost!
It’s important to note that high fiber-foods are often organic foods because the sugars and starches are occurring naturally, as opposed to being added.
As always, natural foods without additives and preservatives are healthier for you.
Additionally, foods high in fiber are also recommended before a colonoscopy because fiber rich foods move smoothly through the digestive tract, which helps it function properly.
Furthermore, with a fiber diet, you may experience increased energy and even achieve weight loss.
But before starting any drastic change in your diet, check with your healthcare provider for additional support and advice.
Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should try to get around 30 to 38 grams.
Much like counting calories, you can calculate your fiber intake to ensure you’re attaining to the right amount.
However, if you overeat fiber, it can have adverse effects on your digestive system.
As always, if you are concerned about getting the correct amount of fiber for your body type, see a nutritionist or your doctor before starting a fiber rich diet.
How can I get enough fiber into my diet?
You don’t need to measure and worry about getting enough fiber every day.
It is quite easy!
First, you want to ensure you get in about 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day.
And do not worry about making sure you get in both types of fiber. By just eating a lot of fruits, loading up on your veggies, beans, and whole grains, you will quite assuredly be getting in enough of both soluble and insoluble fiber.
What Are High Fiber Foods?
Choose whole grains
Whole grains have twice as much fiber as pieces of bread made with white and refined fiber.
Just because something says “wheat,” do not assume it is.
The label must read “whole wheat” or better yet, “whole grain” to have adequate fiber.
Eat your stems
Stems from vegetables like broccoli and asparagus can be loaded with fiber.
Eat the peel
It is amazing how much fiber is contained in the skin of fruits and vegetables.
When you throw away the peel, you also throw out beneficial nutrition and fiber that is contained in the skin.
Eat apples, potatoes, and carrots with the skin on for extra fiber.
Note: Not all peels should be consumed!
Eat your beans
Beans are one of the best sources of fiber.
A half-cup of black beans contains 25 percent of your recommended daily amount of fiber.
Eat your cereal
Many portions of corn contain a lot of fiber.
Sprinkle some wheat germ on your cereal, and you get an extra boost of fiber!
Getting in your fiber is important and quite easy.
As you begin to increase your fiber, please be aware that it is normal to experience an increase in intestinal gas as you begin.
To avoid this, start adding fiber slowly, increasing your intake just a bit every couple of days until you can load up with no discomfort.
Fiber is a healthy and valuable addition to your diet, and your body will thank you for it!
What Does Fiber Do For the Body?
Almost every diet on this planet recommends a good amount of fiber in the diet.
They say that a high fiber diet will help you lose weight, control your cholesterol levels and lessen your chances of heart disease.
How can a high fiber diet help you be healthier?
Dietary fiber (also called roughage or bulk) can only be found in plants, and their primary function can be compared to the human skeleton.
They help keep the plant’s shape and structure.
Unlike other nutrients like carbohydrates or vitamins, fiber cannot be absorbed by our bodies.
For example, when you eat something fiber-rich like a cup of raspberries (contains 8.0 of grams of fiber), it passes through your intestines and colon as it is.
Think of it as a broom going through your intestines sweeping away all the waste.
This is the main benefit of a high fiber diet.
Fiber for Healthy Bowel Movement
It makes bowel movement much easier inside your body.
Without this component, the food wastes would not move inside your body.
In fact, the residues would remain in your intestines forever.
It has been recommended that dietary fiber should be consumed as it essentially benefits the body.
The hard fiber also known as insoluble cellulose can be found in grains and vegetables while the soft fiber also called soluble ones which can be found in vegetables and fruits.
Functions of Fiber Foods:
- Lowers the level of cholesterol
- Lowers Triglycerides
- Reduces the risk of colon cancer
- Enhances the factor of weight loss
- Improves diabetes
- Moves bowel
Fiber is a component that should be added to any diet.
As per the American Heart Association, one should stick to six to seven servings every day of whole grains.
These might include low-fat dry cereal and 1/2 cup cooked rice etc
Fresh vegetables if possible should be consumed raw as they are rich in such component.
Three to five servings every day would help you to flush toxins and move bowels quickly
Whatever be the case water should not be ignored.
One must add more quality of water along with the dietary fiber as this factor would help your body to flush toxins at ease.
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A variety of soluble and insoluble foods are encouraged to attain the best of both worlds.
The Institute of Medicine states that the recommended dietary fiber intake for adults 50 years and younger is at 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women.
For those who are above the age of 50, it is set at 30 grams for men and 21 grams for women, due to their decreased food consumption.
Other benefits of a high fiber diet include:
- Normal bowel and bowel movements
- Lowers blood cholesterol levels
- Helps control your sugar levels
- Helps you lose weight
If you are looking to sneak fiber into your everyday diet, the rule of thumb is to increase your intake of grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts.
Refined and processed foods have very little fiber contained if you can imagine the fiber being ripped from the food as it is processed. Here are some suggestions:
Start your day with fiber.
Some breakfast cereals are based on wheat and bran.
Just make sure they have 5 or more grams of fiber per serving.
Incorporate vegetables into your usually meat-filled dishes.
Try adding freshly chopped vegetables into your soup.
Foods High in Fiber
Beans
There are so many kinds of beans available in the market today. What’s great is that you don’t have to chop them most of the time. Try adding some to your pasta or salad.
Fruits all around
Do you get that feeling that you require something sweet after a meal?
Satisfy your sweet tooth with apples, oranges, and raspberries!
For those who want to make a permanent change in their weight increase of fiber foods in their diet is vital.
It is among the best ways to check you are weight.
It helps you to feel full without adding many calories in your diet. Particular kind of fiber like psyllium husks can absorb extra fat from the food we eat and keeping that big out of our body before it is absorbed.
As fiber rich food absorbs water, causing it to bloat, this gives us a good feeling of fullness that many weight loss programs unable to provide.
Many of us use herbal weight loss supplements to reduce our weight naturally.
This is very safe and efficient way, and we can improve our health by losing weight.
These are few popular herbal weight loss supplements, just have a look:
Bitter Orange
This acts by reducing the appetite of a person to help in reducing weight.
Cayenne
This can stimulate a high level of sweating and increased adrenaline.
Ephedra
It works by lowering the appetite.
Garcinia Cambogia
The appetite is suppressed by promoting a combination of glycogen, thus sending the brain signals of satisfaction and fullness sooner.
Guggul
It assists in dissolving stubborn fat bodies blocked in the adipose zone, especially across lower abdomen, waist, and thighs.
Green Tea
Increases metabolism and lowers the appetite of a person.
Cinnamon
Reduce weight by reducing sugar and cholesterol within the body.
Hypericum
help in weight loss by reducing the appetite of a person as well as known as an antidepressant.
Fiber is often mistaken as a nutrient, so we must first get rid of that misconceived notion.
Fiber is an indigestible substance, better referred to like a particular type of carbohydrate, which passes through the digestive system unchanged without being absorbed.
Fiber is essential in your diet because it influences the complete digestion process.
Nutritionists often recommend to people attempting to reduce weight to eat a high-fiber diet.
High-fiber foods tend to be bulkier and more satisfying helping you feel fuller longer and preventing you from overeating.
Because fiber tends to be fatter and lower in calories, the food tends to stick with you longer and slows down the digestion and absorption of glucose helping to keep your blood sugar level, which in turn also helps control your appetite.
You can easily add fiber to any meal by getting creative and substituting meat for beans that will offer you not only fiber but protein.
Beans can also be added to soups, salads, pasta dishes and many spreads.
Fruit can be a great fiber-packed snack.
Vegetables can be added to any dish or thrown into a stir fry, added to stews or even loaded in salads.
The great thing about fiber is it is found in many low-calorie foods, so you don’t have to feel guilty for loading up on it.
High fiber food, and fruits especially, can make a significant improvement to anyone’s health.
Avocados, cantaloupe, apricots, strawberries, kiwi fruit, and grapefruit are just some of the fiber rich fruits you can add to your diet.
Not only do all of these fruits taste amazing but they do wonders for your health as well.
The main benefit of eating these fruits is that they clean out the digestive system for you.
This means that these fruits improve the waste products disposal system along with helping the other food you eat through the gastrointestinal tract.
As well as fruits, whole grains and vegetables are other foods that can be high in helpful fibers.
Plants are known to be another good source of fiber. And ultimately, including vegetables in your daily meals will give your extra body fiber.
Breakfast is usually a great meal to pack full of fiber when you have foods like cereals and grains.
The main thing to point out when eating a lot of fiber rich foods is that you are required to drink the adequate amount of water to help digest it and if you want to get the benefits of fiber in full, you must continue to eat it throughout the day.
High fiber fruit is an essential piece to a fit healthy diet.
It adds to the chances of living a long and healthy life, which is what most people hope for.
Most people see that eating high fiber fruit is good for them, but they are not sure what high fiber fruits to add to their diet.
One of the instrument to help us find out how much of this fruit we are eating in our diets are the element labels that we find on food products.
Not only do these labels tell us ingredients of the product, but they also give us information about the healthy ingredients such as high fiber fruit.
Fruits that are categorized as high fiber consist of cantaloupe, strawberries, kiwi, avocados, and grapefruit.
Not only do they taste great they are excellent for your health. Benefits of fiber are the actions that it performs on your digestive system.
It acts as a transportation device for other foods through your digestive system, and it also improves the discarding of waste. Also, the benefits of fiber on the digestive system assist people in preventing diseases like diabetes and high cholesterol levels. Vegetables, whole grains, and fruits are foods that are the in fiber. Plants are an excellent source of fiber. Increasing vegetables to your diet will add more fiber.
Treat Constipation with High-Fiber, Heart Healthy Diet
Constipation is one of those problems that can make life quite uneasy. It may not be termed as a serious issue, but if it persists for long, it can lead to serious and aggravated health problems such as piles and weak digestion.
If you are one of those, who have suffered from this issue, you know then it can be quite discomforting and frustrating if it continues for long.
Constipation is characterized by a disorder of bowel function.
When you have irregular bowel movements say just once or twice a week, then it is termed as constipation.
Some of the symptoms include swollen abdomen, vomiting, abdominal pain and difficulty having bowel movements.
By making a few changes in your diet and drinking, lots of water can help you overcome this problem.
However, if constipation persists for around two weeks, then it is a case of severe medical concern, and it is advisable to see a doctor.
What foods can prevent and cure constipation:
- A High fiber diet
- Eat heart healthy diet with lots of fiber.
- Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of fiber.
- Dump the junk food. Steer clear of chips, fried products, and your bowel system will thank you for this
Instead, opt for high-fiber foods such as oatmeal, whole grain bread, beans, cereals such as bran, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Non-vegetarians can have the small amount of animal protein such as fish or skinless poultry.
It may seem difficult in the beginning, considering most of Americans are short on fiber and are mostly bent on fried products. But incorporating fiber rich foods in your daily diet is not that difficult as you may think!
For breakfast, have fruits or oatmeal.
When you are hungry, instead of munching on chips or any other junk items, pick some healthy nuts such as walnuts, peanuts or almonds or have fresh fruits to curb the hunger.
For lunch, include vegetables, beans, and whole grain bread.You can end the day with a high fiber yet delicious dinner that includes salad, whole grains or fish.
You can try out various Mediterranean recipes that mostly include fresh vegetables and extra virgin oil.
Increase water intake
When you increase your fiber intake, consequently you need to boost your fluid intake as well.
Else the high fiber diet can backfire, and you may feel even more constipated.
Drink copious amounts of water.
Have eight glasses of water every day.
Exclude coffee, tea, and soft drinks from this list as these products contain caffeine that can dehydrate the body further.
If dairy products such as milk affect your bowel system, you need to avoid them as well.
Exercise
Exercise regularly.
Even if you take a high fiber, heart healthy diet and drinks loads of water, all your efforts are incomplete if you don’t exercise.
Regular exercising enhances the rate of blood flow to the body organs.
It leads to the higher supply of blood to gastrointestinal tract resulting in the release of more digestive enzymes and stronger intestinal contractions.
Secretion of more enzymes and strong abdominal contractions facilitate the quick and easy removal of wastes from the body.
Exercise doesn’t only mean doing crunches, push-ups or rigorous workouts.
Even going for a walk or doing moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day can work wonders for you.
Keep all these easy to follow tips in mind, and you will overcome the problem of constipation.