Lots of value is to be found on vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies in our daily supplementation, but one of the important elements to good health is with the amount of fiber we consume.
The fiber we consume, called roughage, comes from grain husks, the skins and flesh of fruit and the tough, fibrous material in vegetables. It cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes and is not able to be absorbed into the system as it passes through the digestive tract. Fiber has few, if any, calories or nutrients, and is usually processed out of the many packaged foods consumed today.
There are two different types of dietary fiber, soluble and insoluble. Both of the types of fiber play important roles in maintaning good digestive health. No particular food, not even common bran, is a good source of all the beneficial types of fiber.
Insoluble Fiber – Found in whole grain products, seeds, fresh fruits and veggie – provides bulk, making movements easier and helping to thwart constipation. Scientists studying diets high in fiber and low in fat hypothesize that insoluble fiber may help alleviate various gastrointestinal difficulties and might reduce the risk of curtain cancers.
Soluble Fiber – Soluble fiber has been proven to help lower cholesterol. Contained in oat bran and dried beans, it tends to slow down the release of food from the stomach, which helps keep blood sugar levels stable so that you don’t have any feeling of fatigue and weakness connected with low blood sugar.
Fiber is a crucial part of our daily intake. High fiber foods are filling, but low in calories, so as a result they are beneficial in weight management. Fiber has a important job to take part in maintaining a healthy digestive system. By increasing the volume of fecal material, it encourages the effective passage of waste products through the intestine. It also draws in water from the surrounding blood vessels, which softens the stools, making elimination more regular and easier, thus helping to prevent constipation and hemorrhoids. By reducing the absorption of digested fats, blood cholesterol levels are lowed, thereby reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.
Every adult should eat about 25-30 grams of fiber a day. Still, the average American, eating the typical American diet high in fats and refined carbs, consumes only half of the total amount needed. The National Academy of Sciences recently raised its fiber guidelines to 25g daily for women and 38g daily for men. For children add 5g to your child’s age for the proper amount.
The Way Fiber Works
– Fiber absorbs and holds moisture in the digestive system, acting like a sponge and making the material inside of the colon softer and more bulky. This reduces the time waste stay in our 30 foot span of intestinal tract and makes passage easier, lowering the pressure in the colon.
– Fiber reduces troubles from constipation and diverticulitis which is a weakening if the wall of large intestine caused by pressure from hard stools and is frequently accompanied with infection. Fiber cleans the intestines by means of its natural scrubbing action.
– Fiber increases the speed of exit of materials through the colon, fiber lowers the possibility of harmful effects from a number of drugs, food additives and chemicals in our diets. It also helps remove harmful toxins released in the course of digestion.
– A diet high in dietary fiber may lower blood cholesterol levels by aiding in reducing the transit time of dietary cholesterol through the gastrointestinal tract, minimizing the absorption of cholesterol in foods.