According to statistics, 62 million Americans are affected by digestive concerns each year.
The prevalence of some digestive concerns such as constipation, increase with age or may develop from factors like poor nutritional
habits, dehydration, stress, fatigue, or smoking. Fiber and water help.
The current average fiber intake is estimated
at about 12 grams per day, for American adults. Experts agree that adults should consume 25 to 30 grams of fiber every day
to maintain good health and normal bowel function. Fiber aids the transit of food through the intestines and provides an all-natural
way to promote regularity and colon health.
Foods rich in dietary fiber offer many health benefits. These foods
help with weight control, because they tend to be low in fat and added calories. They also provide a full feeling, which delays
hunger. Foods rich in fiber can help in the management of cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. Diabetic patients
can benefit from a diet that includes fiber because it can slow glucose absorption. Finally, as previously stated, fiber helps
with intestinal health and regularity.
Fiber is found in minimally processed plant foods such as fruit, vegetables,
and whole grains. Many people take fiber supplements to speed intestinal transit time, increase bulk, and provide relief from
occasional constipation.
Soluble fiber-
dissolves in fluids found in the large intestine and forms a gel. A diet high in soluble fiber helps support healthy cholesterol
levels by binding with intestinal bile acids that contain fat and cholesterol. Soluble fiber helps to regulate constipation.
Good sources of soluble fiber include legumes (beans), grains such as oats and barley, corn, fruit and berries, and psyllium
seed husks.
Insoluble fiber- doesn't dissolve in intestinal fluids, but soaks up water like
a sponge, adding bulk and making it easier for the intestines to move waste matter out of your system more quickly. Good sources
of insoluble fiber include whole grains, wheat bran and some fruits and vegetables.
| Be
aware |
Most of us freely admit that our eating habits
are lousy. We skip meals, eat on the run, eat too fast, and, all too often, eat merely to stave off hunger, focusing on convenience
and expediency versus well-balanced nutrition.
The foods we do eat are tainted with preservatives, artificial ingredients
and chemical additives. |
Foods that are rich in dietary fiber include whole grains, legumes, and
some fruits and vegetables. Most foods contain mixtures of both insoluble and soluble fiber.
Beans are an excellent
source of both fiber types.
Experts agree that adults should consume 20 to 30 grams of fiber every day to maintain
good health. Unfortunately, today’s busy lifestyles and poor eating habits have put an undesirable strain on the digestive
system. Fiber can help offset this strain and positively effect the body. Fiber also aids the transit of food through the
intestines and provides an all-natural way to promote regularity and colon health.
There is more to fiber than
simply keeping your waste products moving south in a timely fashion. It can have a significant impact on your overall health.
For starters, it helps the body rid itself of potentially harmful substances, reducing the load on your immune system.
Along with its ability to soak up cholesterol and fats, as mentioned earlier, soluble fiber also binds with high-glycemic
carbohydrates to slow their digestion and absorption. This may help keep you from suffering energy crashes during the day
by preventing wide swings in your blood sugar level.
Dieting? Here’s good news: most fiber passes through
you without being 100% digested or absorbed into the bloodstream, therefore it doesn’t have any calories. But as its
soaks up water, it provides a satisfying "full" feeling. While it keeps the intestines moving, soluble fiber actually
slows down stomach-emptying time, so you feel fuller longer and gives your digestive system more time to absorb nutrients
from the foods you eat.
