What is dietary fiber? Dietary fiber is a component in our daily plant foods that we cannot absorb. Unlike carbs, fat, and protein, fiber cannot be broken down by our digestive system and thus, not absorbed. It passes through with stool every day. In this article, Handy discusses some of the exciting benefits and importance of the intake of dietary fiber.
Dietary fiber is found in edible plant foods such as cereals, fruits, vegetables, dried peas, nuts, lentils, and grains. Basically, there are two types of dietary fiber: soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber- and both of them are extremely important for our health.
The Benefits
Some benefits of consuming dietary fiber are listed below:
- A Healthy Heart- Soluble dietary fiber can reduce the chances of heart diseases by helping you to keep your cholesterol in control. Consuming oats, beans, and oat brans can help control this bad cholesterol. Studies have also proved that problems like inflammation or blood pressure could be controlled by lowering the level of lipoprotein. Thus, as a whole, dietary fiber reduces the chance of heart diseases.
- A Happy Stomach- Don’t you find it extremely difficult to go on your everyday schedule when your stomach keeps reminding you constantly that it needs to be cleared.? Of course, you do. That is why dietary fiber is extremely important to make your day less troublesome early in the morning.
Dietary fiber makes stool bulky by increasing the weight and size of it. Thus, it reduces the chance of constipation. As it absorbs water, the stool gains bulk and becomes easier to release.
- Low Blood Sugar- As soluble dietary fiber slows down the absorption of sugar, it decreases the chance of high blood sugar for a diabetic patient. With the balanced consumption of insoluble dietary fiber, you’ll have a lower chance of Type 2 diabetes.
- Controlled Body Weight- In this particular case, high-fiber food supplements could be of great help. Soluble fiber is a powerful natural appetite suppressant and it can help you to lose weight to a considerable extent. It prevents inflammation in your gut and helps in the reduction of obesity.
- Gastrointestinal Health- Dietary fiber has an amazing ability to reduce the rate of developing colitis and hemorrhoids. Even the risk of colon cancer is lowered if you take dietary fiber in a balanced diet. So, from your bowel movement to your digestive system- dietary fiber takes good care of everything.
- Detoxed System- Fiber naturally scrubs and participates in eliminating toxins from our G.I. tract. As they pass through our system, they soak up potential harmful components- from unhealthy fats to chemicals and help to clear them with our stool.
Conclusion
You should not forget to eat fresh vegetables and fruits daily as many of the whole fruits are extremely rich in dietary fiber. However, Handy suggests you understand that like everything else when you consume dietary fiber excessively, it might turn against you. Excessive consumption of dietary fiber often results in abdominal bloating or intestinal gas.