Fiber Important Part Of Almost Every Meal

Fiber is an often-overlooked part of a healthy diet. The ironic thing is that fiber, by definition, is not actually absorbed or digested by our bodies. Most things that are considered to be “good for us” have received that designation because they provide our bodies with some needed vitamin or mineral. Although fiber is not one of the traditional good-for-you foods, it is still a very important part of your diet.

Fiber has many health benefits. Its most famous benefit may be that it keeps your digestive system working regularly. This is due to the fact that fiber adds bulk and roughage to the food that we digest. Because of this, the whole digestive process happens more quickly. This same principal is responsible for another one of the great benefits of fiber. A diet rich in fiber lowers a person’s risk of colon cancer. This is because colon cancer is less likely when the digestive process happens faster. It is an interesting system. Fiber is also instrumental in helping to lower cholesterol levels, which is great for your heart. The reason that fiber reduces cholesterol is that it carries some of the fats and cholesterol out the body before they are digested.

If you need to reduce your cholesterol, want to lower your risk of colon cancer, or just want to improve your overall health, then try to increase your fiber intake. There are several groups of foods that contain a significant amount of fiber.

One of the main food groups that contain significant quantities of fiber is the bread group. However, not all breads and other foods made from flour are created the same. The most fiber is found in whole grain bread products. It is best to try and make sure that at least half of your total daily servings of bread products are made with 100% whole grain flour. But don’t be fooled; every brown-colored bread with visible grains mixed in is not whole wheat. Many masquerade as whole wheat breads by using part whole wheat flour and part “enriched wheat flour,” also known as “white flour.” You can easily check this information on the food label. Make sure that whole wheat flour appears first and is not followed by any other types of flour. The same goes for packaged cereals. Look for “whole corn, whole oat,” etc. in the ingredients list.

The other group of foods that contains a significant amount of fiber is fruits and vegetables. Increasing your daily servings of fruits and vegetables will definitely increase your fiber. Some specific foods to try that are very high fiber are pears, kidney beans, cranberries, lentils, garbanzo beans, and psyllium seed products. Find some high-fiber foods that you enjoy and make fiber a habit!

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