All About Fiber!!
Fiber!! WE need it and we need more of it.
The typical person does not get enough fiber, yet fiber is so important for health. If you are not eating a lot of plants, then you may not be getting enough fiber. Animal products don’t contain fiber, so there’s another reason to increase your intake of plant foods.
Most Americans only consume around half of the daily recommended fiber intake, but there is much evidence that the more fiber you consume, the better health outcomes when it comes to heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Furthermore, there are also several studies that show that increasing fiber in your food plan reduces risk of death from respiratory and infectious diseases as well.
Incorporating more fiber in your food plan can help with weight loss, and allow you to feel fuller faster. It can help with digestion and to keep your system regular and moving more smoothly. Greater amounts of fiber can help lower blood sugar levels which is a factor in diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and many other health issues. Fiber can help lower your chances of many types of cancers, not just colorectal cancer. It can also reduce your risk of diverticulitis which is a common problem with people following a low fiber lifestyle.
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Fiber should be consumed from whole foods instead of fiber supplements or powders. Eating the whole food allows your body to get all the beneficial vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that you need for optimal body function and health.
Eating variety is the key! I always say this when it comes to whole foods, but always eating a variety of whole foods is best so you are able to get everything you need without having to think too much about it. When it comes to fiber, it’s not much different. Every plant food has different types of fiber. There is of course soluble and insoluble fiber, but on a much deeper level than that, there are sooooooo many more kinds of fiber too.
Also, if you haven’t heard yet, your microbiome is filled with bacteria - both good and bad bacteria, and we of course want more of the good guys in there. Every type of good bacteria loves to munch on the different types of fiber found in the different plant foods, so you when you consume a variety of plant foods, you are feeding all sorts of the good bacteria.
Having a diverse microbiome of the good bacteria is the goal for a healthy gut, so the more you eat a variety of whole plant foods, the more diverse and densely populated your microbiome will be with the beneficial gut bacteria.
The health of your microbiome is one of the most important areas of the body to focus on for overall health. If your gut is not healthy, it can lead to all sorts of problems!
Always remember with adding more fiber to your food plan, go slow. Greatly increasing your fiber load all at once may cause discomfort and possibly digestion issues for the time being. Your body isn’t used to it yet, but will adapt, so going slow is best. Also, drink a lot of water, of course, and chew your food well for goodness sake!
….ok now one more yummy food photo to entice you..
