So let’s talk fiber! And no not the kind that brings internet to your house! The kind that you eat that can provide SO many health benefits! From your bowels, cholesterol, reduces cancer, blood sugar stabilization, and longevity (live longer!).
So WHAT is fiber?? It’s the part of plant foods that you can’t digest. It’s good “food” for those probiotics we talked about several weeks ago. There are two types of fiber soluble and insoluble. Soluble dissolves in water and insoluble won’t. Soluble fiber makes like a gel like substance in your colon. HOW much should you have? The Institutes of Health recommend around 21-25 grams of fiber for women, and 30-38 grams for men.
So WHY fiber?? Remarkably, fiber will help your constipation and help your diarrhea! Most people think that fiber will ONLY help to relieve constipation but quite the opposite is true. Fiber is a stool normalizer! It will help to soften the stools with the fiber drawing water into the colon, but it also helps to relieve loose stools by having the fiber to bulk up your stools making them chunkier. I know that this subject is totally gross but it is really healthy to know your poos! Some fiber is actually fermented in the colon-think of all those GOOD gut bacteria, researchers believe that this can provide some cancer and anti-inflammatory benefits. Soluble fiber can slow the digestion of sugar, making it a good choice to help prevent diabetes and lower blood sugar. Cereal fiber has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease, I might be ok, considering I have Honey Nut Cheerios EVERY morning. One cup of Cheerios has 3 grams of fiber!
Eating fiber can be easier than you think! Eating legumes (fancy word for beans) can increase your fiber. Beans such as kidney beans, black beans, peas, and lentils are all good sources of fiber. Fruits and vegetables (remember frozen varieties are good!) are good sources, as well as “whole grains”. Anything that uses the terms bran or even fiber in the name is a good source. When you read the ingredients on a food label, the list goes from greatest to least, so make sure that whole grains, oats, bran, etc. are listed in the first few ingredients. Brown rice is good, as well as whole wheat flour. Try to avoid, white flour and white rice. Don’t get caught up on the juice trap-fruit juice does not usually contain fiber, although one exception is prune juice. (Go prunes- an excellent source of fiber!! One cup has 12 grams of fiber.) Juices contain very little nutrition value and are mostly just carbs. Low-salt popcorn is good roughage and eating raw snacks such as carrots and broccoli help too.
Another option is fiber supplements such as Metamucil and Benefiber. These provide wonder sources of fiber but they lack the added nutritional benefits that come with eating natural sources. Some people find that supplements are “gritty tasting and difficult to swallow. They also have fiber gummies now, and although Cheerios are my choice, the gummies would be my fiber supplement choice! How could you go wrong with a fiber gummy?? I will add from a provider standpoint, if you do choose the supplement option, make sure you drink the recommended water with it so you DO NOT end up constipated, and it will allow the supplement to work as it should.
Hopefully, you have gained some knowledge of fiber and fiber foods in this post. It’s really not so hard to increase the fiber in our diet if we just choose better foods. I realize though most of us are used to diets that are not high in fiber, so changing our habits takes time, but I know that YOU can DO IT!. Go forth and be fiber wise!
Sources: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14400-improving-your-health-with-fibers https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-is-fiber-good-for-you https://www.cheerios.com/products/honey-nut-cheerios
Becoming Wellness Wise 