Fiber And Your Body
One of the parts of the way we eat today is the huge difference in how much fiber the average person consumes as compared to how much we used to eat. When we used to live as hunters and gatherers we had a significantly greater amount of fiber in our diet because of all the roots, berries, nuts, leaves, and plants we were constantly eating but now that everything we eat is fat and sugar there’s little to no fiber in our diets anymore. For example - the average American eats about eight grams of fiber per day but we used to eat more than 100 grams of fiber per day! That’s a huge difference and it has a big effect on our bodies. Fiber keeps your entire body healthy and it provides food for the good bacteria that work inside our digestive system. It can also prevent obesity, chronic diseases of aging and it can keep your blood sugar and cholesterol in balance while also eliminating toxins and reducing your appetite. This is all because fiber slows down the rate at which food enters your blood stream but it also increases the rate at which food leaves your body via the digestive tract. On top of all that, fiber can help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, and even lower your blood sugar as much as some diabetes medications do.
The problem with most people is that they simply aren’t getting enough fiber in their diet. Typically people need at least thirty to fifty grams of fiber in their diet every single day but the type of fiber that you choose is equally as important as it is to make sure that you’re getting enough of it. The most well known and popular form of fiber is probably bran but bran (which is wheat fiber) is mostly insoluble and very difficult for our bodies to digest. All it really does is cut up your intestines like sandpaper or tiny glass shards would. Yummy.
Instead you want to find reliable sources of soluble fiber which, surprise surprise are found in most of the healthy foods that we should all be trying to eat anyways like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds - along with most whole grains. This kind of fiber is not only easily digested by your body it’s super good for it as well. Soluble fiber can lower cholesterol, lower insulin, prevent cancers, balance hormones, lower blood sugar, reduce cancer risks, provide vitamins and minerals and a great deal more. Plus it’s important to remember that fiber has no calories and it can help expel toxins from your body making you lose extra pounds and maintain a health weight.
Make a point of adding extra fiber in to your diet by eating lots of vegetables and fruits, nuts, legumes, and consider supplementing with some fiber as well. Don’t jump right in though because starting too quickly with your fiber consumption can mean lots of gas and bloating. Slowly increase your fiber in your diet until you’re up to around fifty grams a day and try to get a variety of different sources in your diet so you’re eating more than just beans or legumes all the time. Fiber is essential to good health so make sure you’re including it in your diet as much as possible. Good luck!