A Guide To Benefits Of Fiber In A Diet

American Dietetic Association recommends the intake of at least 25g of dietary fiber each day from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Dietary fiber is also known as bulk or roughage and it includes plant foods that are not digested or absorbed by the body. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are broken down and absorbed by our body but fiber is not. It hence passes unchanged through small intestine into the colon.

Benefits Of Fiber In A Diet

Dietary fiber increases the size and weight of the stool and makes it softer so that it becomes easier to pass, reducing your chances of getting constipated. Fiber also helps in solidifying the stool if it is watery and loose, as it absorbs water.

Benefits of fiber in a diet also include lowering risk of specific disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, and diverticular disease. Soluble fiber found in flaxseed, oats and oat barn helps lower the cholesterol level in blood by reducing low-density lipoprotein.

There are many other benefits of fiber in a diet such as it helps in losing weight, controls the blood sugar level and prevents certain cancers including colon and breast cancer.

Best Fiber Choices

To get maximum benefits of fiber in a diet, you must include whole grain products, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes and other peas in your daily diet plan. Fruit juices, pastas, breads and non-whole-grain cereals have less fiber as refining process removes the bran from the grain. Also, fiber content of fruits is reduced when you peel the skin.

You should not underestimate the importance of fiber in a diet. Including them in your daily dietary meal plan is not difficult, and all you need is a little planning. You can start your day with breakfast cereal that is high in fiber giving you at least 5g of fiber.

Maximize benefits of fiber in a diet by adding crushed unprocessed wheat bran or bran cereal to the products you bake such as bread, meat loafs, cakes, casseroles, cookies and muffins. Replace white bread, rice and pasta with brown ones and get 2g of dietary fiber per serving.

Eat more lentils, beans and peas. Snack on baby carrots and add broccoli to prepared spaghetti sauce. Eating fruits in every diet will provide more benefits of fiber in a diet.

High fiber foods are good for health but you must be careful not to add too much fiber too soon as it may cause abdominal bloating, intestinal gas and cramping. It is important to increase the amount of fiber gradually as this allows bacteria in the digestive system to get used to the change. Also, you need to drinks loads of water to get benefits of fiber in a diet as it makes stools bulky and soft. Without water, you may get constipated.