The Importance of Fiber
Fiber is a nutrient that carries many healthy benefits for people who include the right amounts of the molecule in their diet. Fiber is actually just a specific form of carbohydrate. It is classified as a polysaccharide, which means that it is a long chain molecule.
What separates fiber molecules from other polysaccharide carbohydrates however is that the bonds of the molecule cannot be easily broken down in the digestive track. That means that most of the nutrient passes through our system rather than being digested and absorbed.
One important first step towards learning more about fiber is understanding how you can include it in your diet. Fiber can be classified as dietary fiber, functional fiber and total fiber. Dietary fiber is fiber naturally found in a food. Functional fiber is fiber that has been added to a product or is taken as a supplement, and total fiber is the combination of both found in any particular product.
Knowing that, there are actually two distinct forms of fiber, each with their own health benefits. The first is soluble fibers, which can be dissolved in water. This kind of fiber is found in citrus fruits, berries, beans and oats. Soluble fiber helps to lower your blood cholesterol levels while also lowering your blood glucose levels. The result is a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes and many forms of cardiovascular disease.
The other form of fiber is insoluble fiber, which cannot be dissolved in water. These are the fibers you find in whole grain products including wheat, as well as many forms of vegetables. This is the type of fiber that carries the benefits of helping your digestive system by promoting regular bowel movements, getting rid of constipation and altogether keeping a healthy digestive track and colon.
As you can see, fiber has been different benefits and it’s important to include both forms of fiber in your diet. That’s because soluble and insoluble fiber provide distinct health benefits that the other doesn’t offer. Additionally, fiber can help to promote weight loss because it makes you feel fuller than other foods. This is because fiber absorbs water and slows down the movement of foods through our digestive track.
Fiber is one of the most important nutrients for total body health. We should strive to include a good portion of fiber in our diets, and this can be accomplished by eating healthy, whole foods such as wheat, vegetables, fruits and beans.
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