Health Benefits Of Fiber-Rich Food

Nutrition is a complex process of getting, processing, and absorbing nutrients. But in addition to the main food components (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) that serve to generate energy and build body cells, the role of the indigestible part of the food- (fiber) is also essential.It is vital for the healthy functioning of the digestive system and the entire body.

Learn why it is so important to consume foods high in fiber, what are the rates of its consumption and how you can make up for its deficiency.

What is Fiber?

Fiber is a complex carbohydrate that is mainly found in the edible parts of plants.  Human enzymes do not digest fiber; it is only partially broken down in the colon under the influence of bacteria living there. Previously, dietary fiber was considered a ballast substance; they tried to clean it from food as much as possible. Now the opinion of scientists about dietary fiber is completely opposite - it is recognized as an important and necessary component of a healthy diet.

Scientists use several classifications of dietary fiber, the most common of which is their division into soluble and insoluble.

1. Soluble fiber

Soluble fiber, when combined with water, acquires a viscous gel-like consistency, which helps food pass through the intestines and also has many other positive effects on the body.

2. Insoluble fiber

Insoluble fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and helps form feces. It stimulates the intestinal wall to produce mucus (mucin) and fluid. The fibers absorb water to form feces, and the extra mucus helps move them through the intestines and out of the body.

Health Benefits Of Fiber-Rich Food

As we have mentioned above, fiber is not digested or absorbed by the human digestive system. Dietary fiber simply passes through the intestines and exits with the stool.

Then what is useful in it, if it passes "in transit" through the body? Let's discuss some health benefits of foods high in fiber:

1. Controls blood sugar

Fiber-rich food slows down the absorption of macronutrients from other food, especially sugars. Thus, it helps control blood glucose levels, which is important for people with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or a predisposition to diabetes.

Blood sugar rises more slowly after eating these foods, and less insulin is released. This is especially beneficial for people with diabetes; for this reason, doctors and nutritionists recommend that they eat more fiber-fortified foods. A diet high in fiber reduces the risk of developing diabetes.

2. Lowers blood cholesterol

Soluble fiber blocks and lowers total dietary cholesterol, including low-density lipoprotein. It helps with heart disease and reduces the risk of developing it.

3. Bile acids

Plant fibers bind bile acids involved in the digestion of fat in the intestines. This gives a good prophylactic effect against colon cancer. According to various researches, foods high in fiber can reduce the risk of developing this cancer.

4. Promotes the elimination of toxins

Fiber can be compared to a sponge, which absorbs various substances and removes them from the body. In addition, dietary fiber is able to bind toxic compounds, thus depriving them of the ability to penetrate the bloodstream and spread throughout the body.

5. Controls appetite and weight

High fiber food helps maintain an optimal healthy weight for everyone. So, by eating foods high in fiber, a person consumes much fewer calories. With little or no significant energy value, fiber helps trick the stomach by filling it up and causing satiety and preventing overeating.

6. Digestion normalization

Gut health is considered the main benefit of eating fiber. It prevents the formation of constipation, facilitates the passage of feces through the intestines.

Fiber Deficiency Symptoms

The signs of a lack of plant fiber in food are very noticeable. This is a deterioration in the appearance of the skin as a result of vitamin deficiency and poisoning of the body by processed products. Bloating and flatulence are also common symptoms.

If the body receives less fiber systematically, this is expressed primarily in a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract with all the accompanying complications:

• Constipation, varicose veins, or hemorrhoids;
• Difficulty in the work of the cardiovascular system;
• Increased thrombus formation and atherosclerosis;
• Polyps in the intestine, and the risk of cancer.

Foods Rich In Fiber In India

Daily intake of Dietary Fiber

Daily intake of dietary fiber (soluble and insoluble together) for adults:

• Men 18-50 years old - 38 grams, 51 years old and older - 30 grams;
• Women 18-50 years old - 25 grams, 51 years and older - 21 grams.

If your diet consists mainly of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans, you probably get enough fiber.

However, if you prefer meat, crackers, white bread, dairy, cookies, chips, reaching 25-40 grams of fiber a day will be challenging.

How to take Dietary Fiber Correctly

There are a number of rules to improve the efficiency of your fiber intake:

1. Prefer fresh foods: they have more dietary fiber than canned foods.

2. Eat whole-grain roti instead of those made with fine flour.

3. Drink juices with pulp, not clarified ones.

4. Eat breakfast with vegetables, fruits, cereals so that fiber enters the body in the morning.

5. Include plant foods in the diet to get dietary fiber in all its diversity.

But in order to get the minimum dose per day, it is enough to eat two fruits, two vegetables and 100 grams per dry cereal product, and a handful of nuts.

Recipes Rich In Fiber In India

You must try these Indian recipes to increase your fiber intake.

1. Bajra khichdi

2. Paneer hara chana salad

3. Chat-pati sprouts frankie

4. Gobhi chhole masala

5. Cabbage carrot and lettuce salad

6. Oats dosa

7. Chawli masoor dal

8. Soup with mixed vegetables

9. Sarson ka saag

Let’s Sum Up

If you are not used to eating food enriched with fiber, then you need to introduce it into your diet gradually so as not to shock the intestines.

If your diet is low in fiber and you want to change it, you should gradually increase your intake of foods high in fiber. In fact, you can't go from low fiber foods to high fiber foods overnight! You should give your body some time to rebuild. And don't forget to drink plenty of liquids along!