?Why is fiber essential to your health
Getting fiber in your diet is important for digestive health, and it can help protect you from chronic disease. Fortunately, there are plenty of delicious high-fiber foods that can help you meet your daily needs.
?What is fiber
Fiber is a type of indigestible nutrient that is concentrated in plant foods. Unlike other nutrients, your body cannot digest or absorb fiber, so it passes through the small intestine into the large intestine intact. Although you cannot digest fiber, this nutrient plays an important role in health.
?Why is fiber essential to your health
Fiber is best known for its positive effect on the digestive system, but it benefits health in other ways as well. Here are the highlights:
1-Fiber improves digestive health
Fiber helps in having comfortable and regular bowel movements. Insoluble fiber promotes bowel movements, while soluble fiber attracts water to the stool, helping to keep it soft. When soluble fiber is fermented by gut bacteria, it produces compounds called short-chain fatty acids that can positively affect gut health in several ways by feeding intestinal cells, regulating gut inflammation, and strengthening the gut lining. High-fiber diets can also help prevent and treat digestive conditions such as constipation and diverticulosis.
2-Fiber maintains a healthy weight
Fiber helps you feel full after eating, which may help you maintain a healthy body weight. Soluble fiber slows digestion and nutrient absorption, helping you feel fuller for longer. A study found that compared to all other dietary components, fiber intake was the strongest predictor of weight loss. Diets associated with a healthy body weight such as the Mediterranean diet and vegetarian diets are high in high-fiber foods such as beans, vegetables, fruits and nuts.
3-Fiber helps reduce cholesterol
High levels of cholesterol in the blood have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Fortunately, a high-fiber diet can help boost your blood lipid levels and protect your heart. Fiber helps reduce the body's absorption of cholesterol and increases its excretion. This is why a diet high in fiber has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
?What foods are high in fiber
sweet potato
artichoke
cabbage
broccoli
avocado
raspberry
Guava
pears
barley
quinoa
Oats
brown rice
Chia seeds
flaxseed
Almonds
Sunflower seeds
lentils
Beans
chickpeas
the strawberry
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