Dietary fiber is one of the most important nutrients that we need to take into account in our diets. It’s naturally present in grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Dietary fiber comes from plant foods you eat, and it can’t be digested by your body. Instead, dietary fibers reach the large intestine where they are broken down by bacteria into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that feed the cells lining our digestive tract. Thus, dietary fiber has many benefits for your health including protecting against heart disease and diabetes, improving bowel function and weight control. However, there are some side effects of eating too much fiber such as bloating or diarrhea so you should check how much does your body require daily before increasing your intake
Dietary fibers are very important in daily diets.
Dietary fiber is not just one kind of carbohydrate, it can be divided into soluble and insoluble types. Soluble fiber can be fermented by bacteria in the large intestine, which is beneficial to health. Insoluble fiber may help prevent constipation.
Fiber can protect colon health.
Dietary fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer, diverticular disease and polyps. Dietary fiber can also help prevent hemorrhoids, constipation and other health problems.
Fiber can prevent constipation and diarrhea.
- Fiber can help prevent constipation.
- Fiber can help prevent diarrhea.
- Fiber can help prevent both constipation and diarrhea, which is ideal!
Fiber is good for blood sugar control.
Eating fiber-rich foods is good for your blood sugar control. Fiber can help you feel full and prevent overeating, which can lead to weight loss or maintenance. Research shows that consuming high-fiber foods can keep blood glucose levels steady after eating by slowing down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.
High fiber diet can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
A high-fiber diet can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
High-fiber foods are important for heart health because they:
- Reduce blood pressure.
- Lower LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol).
- Help control diabetes and metabolic syndrome, which are both risk factors for heart disease.
- Help you feel fuller faster, so you eat less total calories.
Fiber can help weight loss and weight maintenance.
Fiber can help you feel fuller for longer. How? By providing a feeling of satiety, or fullness, fiber slows the movement of food through your gut and makes you feel more satisfied. You’re less likely to eat again soon after a meal containing high-fiber foods than when eating foods with little or no fiber. This results in less caloric intake over time and may lead to weight loss if you eat fewer calories than what is needed to maintain your current weight.
Eating a lot of fiber can cause undesirable effects, such as bloating, flatulence and diarrhea, etc..
Fiber is not absorbed by the body, so you may experience unpleasant side effects when eating large amounts of it. These side effects can include bloating and flatulence (gas). Additionally, if you consume too much fiber without drinking enough water, your intestines are not able to process the water-insoluble fibers as they should. This can lead to diarrhea or constipation.
To avoid these problems, eat a moderate amount of dietary fiber each day—between 20 and 35 grams for an adult woman and 30-38 grams for an adult man—and drink plenty of water while doing so.
Daily fiber intake is important, not too much or too little
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t get enough fiber in your diet. According to the National Fiber Council, the average American gets only about 15 grams of dietary fiber per day—less than half of what’s recommended for adults (25-38 grams for men; 21-25 grams for women).
Fiber is important to human health because it:
- Keeps things moving through the GI tract and helps prevent constipation
- Reduces blood cholesterol levels by binding with bile acids that are excreted in the feces
- Lowers blood glucose levels by slowing down digestion of carbohydrates
Conclusion
Dietary fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. It can help prevent constipation, diarrhea, coronary heart disease and weight loss. However, too much fiber may cause undesirable effects such as bloating, flatulence and diarrhea. Therefore, it’s best to consume the recommended amount of dietary fiber every day and eat foods that are rich in fiber content.