Known also as “roughage”, fiber is a carbohydrate found in plants (and some meat) that your body is unable to digest and absorb. Common food where fiber is found include fruits, vegetables, cereals, grains, legumes and nuts. Soluble fiber (fiber that dissolves in water) helps lower blood cholesterol levels as well as control blood sugar in people with diabetes. When mixed with water and digestive enzymes, soluble fiber creates a gel that works to prevent and reduce the body’s absorption of harmful substances. Soluble fibers also slow down the absorption of carbohydrates, reducing the amount that turns into fat. Meanwhile, insoluble fiber (fiber that doesn’t dissolve in water) helps prevent constipation and aids digestion. By being insoluble, it moves through your digestive system to help remove waste, toxins and materials your body doesn’t need. The more fiber you eat, the more water you should drink. Think of fiber as a sponge that absorbs water in your intestines as it flushes out toxins. Without enough water, you could end up constipated. Fiber has the wonderful ability to make you feel full without eating too much – perfect for those times you need to squeeze into a special outfit. It helps outsmart your stomach and keeps the munchies at bay by sustaining that full feeling. The recommended amount for a healthy you is 39 grams a day. It improves the absorption of many nutrients by retaining them in the gastro-intestinal track (stomach and gut) for longer, enabling your body to take in more of the good stuff. Anything that begins with ‘whole’ (except if it’s followed by ‘cream’ or ‘fat’) is a good place to get fiber from. As a rule of thumb, processed foods are a no-go as they remove all nutrition from fiber. Nuts, seeds, beans, raisins and cranberries are yummy sources of fiber. White bread, white rice and pasta are poor sources of fiber that not only do little good but pile on the calories, too. Think before you skin – the skin of apples, pears, plums, and peaches, and the vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, cucumber, and squash are excellent sources of fiber.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 14:27:51 +0000
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