What is all the fuss about fiber, you may ask. Well, to put it in simple terms, fiber is an essential nutrient, similar to proteins, carbohydrates vitamins and minerals. What does this mean to you?
Fiber can prevent something as simple as constipation to something as serious as colon cancer. Surprised? Well, read on to discover important and interesting facts about this extremely crucial nutrient, which many of us fail to pay attention to in our daily diet.
Where Does Fiber Come From?
The skin/outer covering of fruits and vegetables are made up of fiber. Therefore, the next time you consume a fruit or a vegetable, remember to include the outer skin as much as possible. Peeling them away results in unwanted fiber loss. Other sources of fiber include oatmeal, whole grains, seeds and nuts.
How Fiber Affects Health
Fibers are not digested or metabolized in your body. Instead, they are completely expelled out. Therefore, what is the use of eating fiber, you may wonder.
Listed Below Are Four Ways In Which Fiber Can Affect Your Health
Increases Roughage
Fiber helps your body to expel out waste products in an extremely efficient manner. A deficiency in fiber leads to waste accumulation in the body, making you feel extremely uncomfortable.
Stomach problems like constipation are a common problem associated with decreased or insufficient fiber intake. Fiber acts by increasing the bulk or roughage, helping your body expel waste effectively.
Prevents Cholesterol Accumulation
Cholesterol when present in excess is responsible for causing atherosclerosis (deposition of cholesterol in the arteries present in your heart). This leads to several heart problems including cardiac arrest.
Fiber effectively combines with excess cholesterol molecules and disposes them away, preventing unwanted cholesterol accumulation. This is in turn protects your heart from atherosclerosis and a host of other heart complications.
Prevents Gallstones
When you eat junk foods with very little or no fiber, there is a sudden increase in your blood glucose level. In order to counteract this, your body is forced to produce a lot of insulin, making your organs overwork. An excess insulin secretion can lead to formation of gallstones.
When you consume sufficient quantities of fiber, your body takes a longer time to digest and metabolize food. This will lead to slow and controlled release of blood glucose in your body, preventing a sudden increase in insulin production. This in turn prevents the formation of gallstones.
Helps In Weight Loss
For dieters looking to stay fit and lose some extra pounds without starving, simply include fiber rich foods in your diet. Fiber takes a longer time to digest in your body.
It also fills up your stomach quickly, preventing you from taking a second serving. When this happens, you are automatically stopping yourself from eating more, in turn helping you cut down on extra calories. This is one of the easiest and cost effective solution to lose weight.
Therefore, the next time you feel hungry, simply grab a fruit or brown bread sandwich to satisfy your hunger pangs rather than opting for junk foods or carbonated beverages.
