Benefits of High-Fiber Foods

Apart from bringing efficient bowel movements, a high-fiber diet can also effective contribute to reducing risks of hypertension, stroke and heart diseases. Fiber consumption figures demonstrate that people are not consuming enough of it. Fewer than 3% percent of all people in the USA are able to meet the recommended intake.

Fiber is essential to the body but it never actually gets digested. It remains almost in its original state at the moment of excretion. Fiber generally comes in two forms; soluble and insoluble. Most types of fiber derived from plants would contain a mixture of these two. The soluble fiber transforms into a gel when in the stomach. This contributes to slowing digestion while lowering cholesterol and blood glucose level. Insoluble fibers remain in the same state while passing through the colon. They contribute to softening wastes and making them heavier so they can easily pass through the intestines. None of these two types of fiber are ever absorbed into the body.

Not getting an adequate daily dose of fiber generally leads to constipation. This can make the bowel movement quite uncomfortable and painful. Too little fiber in the diet can make it hard to control the blood sugar level along with the appetite as fiber contributes to giving the feeling of satiety and regulating the speed of the digestive system. An over-consumption of fiber can lead to the body absorbing too little minerals as the fiber would contribute to moving food faster through the intestines. This can also lead to gas, cramping and bloating when the fiber intake is increased drastically.