The Importance Of Fiber And Foods That Are High In It

At some point in time or another, you have probably been told that you need to eat more fiber. Fiber is an essential part of your diet, whether you realize it or not. It is a great source of nutrients for your health and well-being. You can often find it in any number of the foods you eat. Oftentimes, you just don’t know that it is there, to begin with. It is widely known for its ability to relieve constipation. However, fiber can do much more than just keep you regular. It can also help reduce your chance of heart disease and diabetes while keeping your weight down.

Finding foods that not only contain fiber but are also good for you doesn’t have to be complicated. To help you along the way, check out the information below.

Benefits Of Consuming Fiber

Fiber helps to keep your bowel movements regular. When you consume it on a daily basis, it helps to increase the size and weight of your stool and keep it soft. Bulkier stools are a lot easier to pass, which means you have less chance of becoming constipated.

Diets that are high in fiber also help reduce your chances of developing hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids can be extremely painful and uncomfortable, so being able to reduce your chances of getting them is crucial.

Lowering your cholesterol is crucial to keeping your heart nice and healthy. By consuming soluble fibers, you can reduce inflammation and your blood pressure, thus minimizing your chance of having a heart attack.

Eat More, Feel Fuller

For those who struggle with diabetes, eating fiber is great for slowing down the rate at which your body absorbs sugar. This can help to improve your sugar levels and keep them at a steady level. By eating a healthy diet with insoluble fiber, you can minimize your chance of ending up with type 2 diabetes.

When you eat foods that are high in fiber, you tend to feel fuller quicker. This means you aren’t going to eat as much food. It also keeps you feeling fuller, which means you eat less overall. Since foods that are high in fiber aren’t as energy dense and take longer for you to consume, you aren’t going to take in as many calories as you would otherwise for eating the same amount of food.

The evidence is still out as to whether it can prevent colorectal cancer, but many believe that it can do so. It doesn’t hurt to consume it in the hopes that it can help prevent your chances of ending up with the disease.

Foods To Consume

There are a number of different foods out there that contain fiber. Men aged 50 or younger should aim for 38 grams per day, while women should aim for 25. Men aged 51 or older should aim for 30 grams daily, while women should try for 21 grams. You might want to try some of the following to make sure you get the fiber you need every day.

• 2 tbsp. of chunky peanut butter contains 2.6 grams
• 1 cup of raisin bran cereal contains 6.5 grams
• 1 cup of fresh raspberries contains 8 grams
• 1 cup of cooked oatmeal contains 4 grams
• 1 ounce of almonds contains 3.5 grams
• ½ cup of cooked peas contains 4.4 grams
• 1 cup of cooked black beans contains 15 grams

Regardless of how you look at it, fiber is one of the most important nutrients your body needs. With it being so readily available, it makes sense to consume some type of fiber each day. The benefits it provides are well worth it in the end and can provide long term health benefits.