Embracing a healthy diet is a milestone towards great health
and happy living. But what exactly does a healthy diet constitute? Various
important elements define a healthy diet. Fiber is one of the most crucial and
often ignored component of a healthy diet. Acquired from plant-based foods,
fiber affects the general health of a person in various ways. Below are some of
the reasons you need to increase your intake of foods rich in fiber.
Controls Blood Sugar
Levels
Dietary fiber is essentially recommended for people with
diabetes for its ability to control blood sugar levels. Soluble fiber is
efficient in minimizing the rate of absorption of sugar in the body. It
achieves this by significantly slowing down the rate at which the body breaks
down carbohydrates into its simplest form. This as a result helps keep sugar
levels in the right proportions. Insoluble fiber has also been observed to
lower risks of suffering type 2 diabetes. Increasing your fiber intake
therefore helps you keep your blood sugar in check, protecting you from
conditions such as diabetes.
Assists in Maintaining
Healthy Weight
Aiding in weight loss is another known advantage of
consuming foods that are high in fiber content. High-fiber foods are
considerably more filling than foods that are low in fiber. When eating
high-fiber foods therefore, you are likely to eat less and stay full for
longer. This is essential for maintaining a healthy weight as it helps minimize
the amount of food you consume and consequentially, fats and calories. High
fiber foods are also contain fewer calories as compared to low-fiber foods of
the same volume.
Reduces Cholesterol
Levels
soluble fibers are pretty efficient at lowering cholesterol
levels. Found in foods such as oat bran, beans and flaxseed, soluble fibers
reduces the levels of low-density lipoproteins in the blood. By keeping the “bad cholesterol” levels to a minimum,
soluble fiber helps boost your general health considerably.
Promotes Healthy
Bowel Movement
One of the most known benefits of dietary fiber is that it
helps boost healthy bowel movements. Besides raising the weight and size of
stool, increased fiber intake also helps with softening stool. With the bulk of
stool increased, it is easier to pass. Increasing your intake of fiber
therefore minimizes your chances of suffering constipation. Fiber is also used
to remedy diarrhea as it absorbs water from watery stool, making it more solid
and bulky for easy passing.
Improved Bowel Health
By increasing the ease of passing stool, high-fiber foods
promote better bowel health. Some of the diseases that eating high-fiber foods
include hemorrhoids and developing small pouches in the colon, a condition
known as diverticular disease. Research also indicates that fiber reduces
chances of colorectal cancer.
Improves Cardiac
Health
Research on the effects of fiber on the health of the heart
suggests that consuming large amounts of fiber is very essential for
maintaining proper cardiac health. By reducing chances of conditions such as
high blood pressure, increased fiber intake ensures proper health of the heart.
