In this article I will reveal some little known facts about the
fibers and the beneficial effect they have over your body.
First of all let me explain what fiber is…
Fiber is an indigestible part of all plant foods. It is found in
fruits, vegetables, grains and beans. Your digestive system cannot
stomach fiber, so it is excreted undigested. Well, you may think
you don’t need fiber, because it’s excreted undigested, but that’s
not true.
Let's imagine the following picture:
You overeat at least once or twice a week, more often at weekends,
and your regular menu doesn't include much fiber. Well, this might
be your life style; however you should consider that it may cause
you lots of health problems like:
- indigestion
- discomfort stomach aches
- gases in the digestive tract
- constipation
- hemorrhoids
- you got tired faster
- can't concentrate on what you're doing
I mean you become less productive at work and more irritable at
home. Besides all this, you gain weight and that’s the moment when
you realize you have a problem.
In order to solve a problem, you should first find the reason for
it. In this case it’s the lowered intake of fiber-rich foods and
respectively - the higher intake of foods containing no fiber
(like meat). The average amount of fiber intake is about 25-30
grams per day. Unfortunately most people regular diets include
less than 10-15 grams daily.
You should start consuming more fiber-rich foods:
- all bran cereal
- beans
- peas
- spinach
- sweet corn
- wholemeal brown bread
- red cabbage
- carrots
- baked potato with skin
- apples, bananas, oranges and all fruits
There are two types of fiber - soluble and insoluble. If you start
eating more food rich in fiber, you’ll be amazed of its beneficial
effects over your body, health and way of life.
Soluble fiber forms glue like gel in the intestinal tract. The gel
softens stools (no more constipation) and improves your digestion
(no more indigestion).
Fiber slows down stomach emptying and you feel fuller longer. This
effect helps you eat less, your body burns additional calories to
digest fiber and you can lose weight.
Insoluble fiber is an excellent natural laxative, because of it's
abilities to hold onto water and to push waste faster along the
intestines - this way fiber decreases the risk of colon cancer.
In conclusion I'd like to tell you that you won't be sorry if you
start eating more fiber-rich foods. Like many other people I used
to take not enough fiber, and I suffered stomach aches. Then I
started to eat more fruits and fiber-rich foods in my daily menu.
I must admit that it really worked for me, and now fiber-rich food
is the most important nutritious part of my regular diet. |
