Benefits of a High Fiber Diet

If you’re seeking a healthy eating plan, you'll find fiber to be key to that plan.  Even though research has shown fiber to be powerful, many people are still not taking the importance of fiber seriously.

To help you fuel your health with fiber, here are 9 benefits to a high fiber diet:

1.   Fiber fights diseases.  A diet high in fiber can help to prevent colon cancer and heart disease.  High fiber helps the body to eliminate cholesterol by binding it in the digestive tract.  For thousands of years, fiber has been used to stop constipation.

2.  Fiber can actually help with overeating.  All high fiber foods will take longer to chew and digest, making you feel satisfied longer.

3.  Most processed foods don't have enough fiber.  Ifyou find yourself eating processed foods, you probably will need to increase your intake of fiber.

4.  Grains offer a lot of  fiber.   Dietary fiber is actually plant matter, largely composed of cellulose, that our bodies utilize to aid in our digestion.  In the top 20 list, whole grains and other grain products come in at #8. 

5.  Kids need fiber as well.  Children that are older than 2 years of age should consume a daily intake of fiber.  Kids are most open to fiber found in fruits, vegetables, and even fortified breakfast cereals. 

6.  Fiber needs water.  In order to keep fiber moving through your digestive tract, you'll need to consume a lot of water.  With your diet of fiber, you'll need eight or more glasses of water every day. That’s a win-win situation for your body!

7.  Fiber cannot be cooked out.  When you cook your fruits and vegetables, don't worry about cooking the fiber out, as it stays.  The fiber found in fruits and vegetables aren't just in the skin or in the peel.

8.  You can get too much fiber.  If you eat more than 50 grams of fiber in a day, you can get diarrhea and bloating, which can interfere with your body's absorption of other key minerals, so don’t over do it.

9.  Getting the right amount of fiber in your diet Is easy.  Don’t make getting fiber in your diet complicated.  All you have to do is eat the right foods and you'll be well on your way to a fiber rich lifestyle.

Fiber is one of the key ingredients to healthy eating and a healthy body.  If you aren’t getting enough fiber in your diet make a resolution today to do something about it instead of waiting until it is too late.