There are two main types of fiber, and they have different effects on the body:
- Insoluble fiber is mainly made up of plant cell walls, and it cannot be dissolved in water.
- Soluble fiber is made up of polysaccharides (carbohydrates that contain three or more molecules of simple carbohydrates), and it does dissolve in water. It has a beneficial effect on body chemistry, such as lowering blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Fiber is important because it has an influence on the digestion process from start to finish. It promotes the wavelike contractions that keep food moving through the intestine. Fiber absorbs large amounts of water in the bowels, and this makes stools softer and easier to pass. A high-fiber diet causes a large, soft, bulky stool that passes through the bowel easily and quickly. Because of this action, some digestive tract disorders may be avoided, halted, or even reversed simply by following this high-fiber diet.
The health benefits of fiber is relieving constipation, hemorrhoids, preventing certain diseases, and keeping weight under control.
Fiber demands that food be more thoroughly chewed, fiber slows down the eating process and helps contribute to a feeling of being full, which in turn can help prevent obesity from overeating. Fiber makes food more satisfying, probably because the contents of the stomach are bulkier and stay there longer. It also slows digestion and absorption so that glucose (sugar) in food enters the bloodstream more slowly, which keeps blood sugar on a more even level. Fiber is broken down in the colon (the main part of the large intestine) by bacteria (a process called fermentation), and the simple organic acids produced by this breakdown helps to nourish the lining of the colon.
Fiber and Disease Prevention
Medical and nutritional research shows that diet high in fiber can help prevent diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, gastrointestinal diseases, and several types of cancer.
Foods high in insoluble fiber content are known to increase bile acid secretion, modify fat absorption, decrease endogenous cholesterol production, improve regularity and bulk formation, and promote peristalsis to reduce transit time of toxins and waste out of the body.
Foods High In Fiber
Grain and Whole Wheat Products
Bagels, Bran Buds, Brown Rice, Buds, Cereals, Granola, Muffins, Pasta
Fruits
Dried fruits (apricots, dates, prunes, raisins) Apples, Avocado, Bananas, Blackberries, Blueberries, Mango,Oranges, Peach, Pears, Raspberries, Strawberries
Vegetables
Broccoli, Beans, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Green Beans, Green Peas, Greens, Legumes, Peas, Potato with Skin,
Nuts
Almonds, Peanuts
Beans
Black, Chick, Kidney, Lentils, Lima, Pinto, Soy
Recommended Daily Intake
FDA and USDA's reference amounts are set at 11.5 g fiber per 1,000 calories; thus, the Daily Value for fiber is 25 g. This Daily Value is based partly on the National Cancer Institute's recommendation that Americans eat 20 g to 30 g fiber a day. For most people, dieters included, a fiber intake of at least 25 g a day--100 percent of the Daily Value--is desirable.
