If you’re counting calories, cutting carbs and looking for the next best thing in healthy living, you may be overlooking one of the most valuable and easy-to-find nutrients in your food – dietary fiber.
As an essential part of any balanced diet, fiber is one of the most overlooked tools in the dietary tool belt. From the inside out, your body and mind benefit from a healthy intake of the stuff. For years, scientists have preached the health benefits of eating more fiber, which go far beyond the surface.
Between weight loss, disease prevention and a longer life, here are 7 health benefits of increasing your fiber intake:
Weight loss
According to diet research, consuming 30 grams of fiber alone can help you lose weight, even without adjusting the rest of your diet or exercise routine. Fiber-rich foods tend to fill you up faster and leave you feeling full longer than low-fiber choices, so you’ll likely eat less and stay satisfied.
You can also eat more of a single high-fiber food and consume fewer calories than you would eating a low-fiber option. This is because foods that are rich in fiber prevent your body from absorbing some of the calories in other foods, carrying those excess calories straight out of the body.
Reduced risk for diabetes
A number of studies have found that fiber helps control blood sugar levels and lowers your risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that’s found in plant-based foods and whole grains. The body can’t digest fiber the same way it digests other carbs, so it passes through the digestive tract, rather than being broken down and absorbed into the bloodstream.
The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble, the former being fiber that dissolves in water from food, trapping select elements in food and slowing down digestion. The latter adds bulk to stool and helps food pass more through the stomach and intestines more quickly. Since soluble fiber can’t be digested in the bloodstream, it’s less likely to cause spikes in blood glucose levels and can help slow down the absorption of sugar, decreasing your risk for diabetes.
Lowered risk for heart disease and high cholesterol
Soluble fiber found in foods such as beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran can help keep your blood cholesterol levels in check by lowering low-density lipoprotein, otherwise known as “bad” cholesterol.
Within the digestive system, this fiber attaches to cholesterol particles and removes them from the body, reducing cholesterol levels, keeping your arteries clear and limiting your risk for heart disease. According to various studies, consuming fiber-rich foods reduces your chances of coronary heart disease, stroke and other related incidents by 16-24 percent.
Healthy gut
Did you know that the gut is known as the “second brain?” Justin and Erica Sonnenburg, authors of The Good Gut: Taking Control of Your Weight, Your Mood and Your Long-Term Health, suggest, “Our brain and gut are connected by an extensive network of neurons and a highway of chemicals and hormones that constantly provide feedback about how hungry we are, whether or not we’re experiencing stress, or if we’ve ingested a disease-causing microbe.”
A 2017 study suggests that fiber intake is directly correlated to the importance of our gut microbes. The probiotics and bacteria that live in your gut consume the fiber that is fermenting in your G.I. tract, they create fatty acids that are known for lowering systemic inflammation, which can lead to obesity, among other health complications. Increasing your fiber intake can support the health of your gut and keep inflammation to a minimum.
Regular bowel movements
Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal issues in the U.S., and people experience constipation and irregular bowel movements for a number of reasons. Fiber helps increase the weight and size of stool, as well as soften it, which can make it easier to pass.
According to the American Dietetic Association, the average person consumes about 15 grams of fiber per day, but the recommendations are much higher:
- 25 grams for women under 50 years old, or 21 grams if over 50
- 38 grams for men under 50 years old, or 30 grams if over 50
While eating too much fiber can cause digestive distress, gas and intestinal blockages, it’s difficult to get too much fiber, especially considering most people aren’t getting enough as it is. Consult with your doctor to establish a medical and nutritional plan that includes the right amount of fiber if you experience chronic constipation or irregular bowel movements.
Lowered risk for kidney disease
Speaking of the digestive system, fiber can also help prevent diverticulosis (pockets in the lining of the digestive tract) and hemorrhoids, which are issues that often accompany chronic kidney disease (CKD).
CKD is caused when the kidneys lose their functionality over time. These organs’ primary job is to filter waste and excess fluids out of the body through the bloodstream. If they aren’t able to do this efficiently, it leads to a buildup of toxins that can cause serious damage.
Incorporating more fiber into your diet is known to decrease inflammation and lower risk of death in patients living with CKD. You can measure your kidneys’ efficiency by visiting your doctor or using a GFR calculator.
Longer life
The health benefits of increased dietary fiber also include a generally longer life! After numerous studies and years of research, scientists and nutritionists agree that a high-fiber diet can lead to lower risks of death from cardiovascular disease and infectious, respiratory diseases and cancer.
The nutrient can not only fight off disease and keep your body functioning smoothly, it is also among the foods that sharpen your mind and contribute to an overall higher quality of life.
When you’re planning your meals for the week or looking for a way to stay healthy, fight off disease or lose weight, make sure you’ve included enough fiber! With the help of this miracle nutrient, you can live a full, vibrant, healthy life.
