The Benefits of Fiber and How to Increase Your Intake
Photo by Nadine Primeau on Unsplash
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), you should be consuming anywhere between 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day. However, if you’re like most Americans following the Standard American Diet (SAD), your consumption is realistically around 10 to 15 grams per day. But what is fiber and why is it so important? Here’s what you need to know.
What is Fiber?
Fiber is the element in plants that our bodies do not digest. While other healthy foods are absorbed into our blood and digested through our bodies, fiber is not one of them. It quickly passes through your digestive tract and its main job in your body is to create bulk to aid in moving stool and harmful carcinogens throughout your digestive tract.
The Benefits of Fiber.
Fiber has been shown to have many health benefits including lowering cholesterol, maintaining digestive health, and helping to control blood sugar levels. According to Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, this element appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and constipation.
High intake of dietary fiber has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease in a number of large studies. In a study published in JAMA by the Department of Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health, of over 40,000 male health professionals, researchers found that a high total dietary fiber intake was linked to a 40% lower risk of coronary heart disease.
Dietary fiber can be found in many foods, including artichokes, raspberries, avocados, pears, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and oatmeal. But the high quota of 20 to 35 grams each day can be hard to meet, especially for those following the Standard American Diet.
A high fiber diet has also been shown to rebalance the gut microbiota, the ecosystem of bacteria, in the gut that help digest food and are important to overall health. Researchers randomized patients with type-2 diabetes into two groups – one who received standard patient education and dietary recommendations, the other was given large amounts of dietary fibers while ingesting a similar diet for energy and major nutrients. After 12 weeks, patients on the high-fiber diet had a greater reduction in a three-month average of blood glucose levels. Their fasting blood glucose levels also dropped faster and they lost more weight. This study was published in the journal Science by researches from China.
Be sure to increase your intake.
One way to make sure that you’re reaching the doctor recommended daily dose is by turning to supplementation.When searching for a high-quality supplement, turn to one that contains soluble fiber, which dissolves with water and creates a gel-like substance that helps to lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels.
Clinical studies show that Fibersol-2™ helps to relieve occasional constipation and select studies show that it improves stool consistency. When taken with a meal, Fibersol-2™ , digestion resistant maltodextrin, may help attenuate the rise in serum glucose following the meal. Fibersol-2™ has the potential to reduce peak postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels that are within the normal range in healthy individuals. This may even help support the level of triglycerides that are already within a healthy range. Fibersol-2™ may support satiety, helping you feel fuller for a longer time after the meal.†