Fiber is one of the most beneficial substances/nutrients/ things we can put into our body. It not only prevents many diseases such as heart disease and colon cancer, it can also help reduce the risk of diabetes. Amongst a multitude of benefits, fiber can add bulk to your diet, making you feel full faster, which can reduce appetite. Fiber also slows the absorption of glucose (lower blood sugar) and lowers LDL(low-density lipoproteins)-aka bad cholesterol. Fiber can be split up into two groups, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber provides some sort of nutritive value, around 2kcal of energy, while insoluble fiber provides no nutritive value. The benefits, however, of insoluble fiber are that they ease and speed the passage of food within the digestive system, helping relieve the stress on the colon (reducing chances of colon cancer).
Fiber, like hot pockets, can definitely help clean out your digestive system.
Although there are so many widely publicized benefits of fiber, both American men and women are severely lacking in their daily fiber intakes. Most Americans consume only 20-40% of fiber deemed necessary for good health. The RDA, or recommended daily amount, which covers 97% of the society's nutritive needs, suggests that men should consume an average of 38 grams of fiber a day and women should consume an average of 25 grams of fiber a day.
Great sources of fiber include apples, oats, barley, whole grains, flax seed, and foods containing pectin. So the next time you are shopping at the local supermarket, put down those salty snacks full of saturated fat and instead look for the flax seed cereals and whole grain granola mixes.
In conclusion, fiber can help you live a healthier and longer life. Fiber is awesome.
mmmm....apples, oats, and pectin!
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