Here’s Why This Nutrient Is Vital To Health Ninety-five percent of Indians aren’t getting the fiber they need from their diet. And that’s a problem — but not surprising.
But there are some very good reasons why you need to get more fiber daily. And luckily, getting your daily requirement doesn’t need to be complicated.
Here are 5 reasons fiber is essential to vibrant health and how you can get more into your diet.
5 Reasons To Get More Fiber In Your Diet:
- Promotes Regularity
If you suffer from uncomfortable or irregular bowel movements, you could be constipated. Constipation is classified as having fewer than three bowel movements a week or experiencing difficult or incomplete bowel movements. But the good news is, fiber can help with irregularity.
Fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. Bulky stool is easier to pass and helps prevent constipation. On the other hand, if you’re experiencing loose stools, fiber can help with that, as well. Fiber solidifies the stool by absorbing water and adding bulk.
- Supports Healthy Blood Sugar
Soluble fiber, found in apples, oats, peas, beans, carrots, citrus fruits, barley and psyllium, can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood sugar levels. This is particularly important for people with diabetes, suggests the Mayo Clinic.
Fiber helps control blood sugar because the body is unable to absorb and break down fiber. So, it doesn’t cause a spike in blood sugar the way other carbs do. This helps keep blood sugar in target range.
- Promotes Healthy Cholesterol Levels
Eating soluble fiber, found in oats, flaxseed, oat bran, and beans may help lower total blood cholesterol by lowering the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol that is absorbed into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the intestines, which help slow digestion. It can also trap cholesterol, preventing the body from reabsorbing it into the bloodstream. Trapped cholesterol is then expelled from the body in stool.
- Benefits The Heart
When LDL cholesterol is too high, it forms plaque in arteries. Plaque, unfortunately, can then affect blood flow and contribute to clots. This raises the risk for heart disease and stroke. But since fiber slows absorption of cholesterol in the blood, it can help keep your LDL levels in a healthy range. - Helps Control Weight
Getting enough fiber can help you maintain a healthy weight. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that something as simple as getting more fiber into your diet each day can help you lose weight. And the good news is, researchers found that even those people who struggle with sticking to more complicated diet regimens still lost weight with fiber.
Plus, consuming high-fiber foods tends to fill you up more than low-fiber foods. As a result, you will likely eat less and stay satiated longer. And when it comes to calories, high-fiber foods tend to have fewer calories for the same volume of food, simply because they’re denser. So try including fiber in your diet!
To get a detailed individualized diet plan please contact Dietitian Prioshka at +919049364351.
Your holistic nutritionist and dietitian,
Prioshka. Rodrigues
(Dietitian Prioshka’s Diet Clinic (MSc) in Goa)s