Why Fiber Is So Important In Our Diet

First of all, why do you need fiber and why is it so important in our diet?

And I don't know about you, but the first thing I think of when I know I need more fiber is eating more vegetables, which isn't always fun... however, I have included some other great sources of fiber at the end.

Fiber affects our whole body system, including your skin, gallbladder, heart and immunity. However, if you lack fiber intake, it can have a detrimental effect on your health. When you don’t get enough fiber the food you eat, the toxins you eliminate via your bowels get absorbed back into your bloodstream causing health issues. [1]

To go right along with that, here are 9 things to know about fiber.

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Nine Facts About Fiber

9) Fiber Fights Diseases.

• A diet high in fiber can help to prevent colon cancer and heart disease by helping to take toxins from being absorbed back into your bloodstream.

• 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.

8) Fiber can actually help with overeating.

This can be absolutely crucial if you are looking to lose weight and struggle with over eating. The simple action of adding more fiber can help you feel more more satisfied and full longer.

7) Most popular foods don't have enough fiber.

If you like the more popular foods that you find packaged and easy to grab and go are not likely to have very much fiber. If your diet consists of items that are quick and easy to grab and eat, make sure you read to the end where I give you a list of great fiber sources to help you increase your fiber.

6) Grains offer the most fiber.

Dietary fiber is actually plant matter that we cannot digest. The best sources are whole grains and concentrated grain products.

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 receptive to fiber found in fruits, vegetables, and even fortified breakfast cereals.

4) More Fiber = More 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.

3) 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. Which is very helpful in helping kids get their fiber because they can be the most picky of eaters.

2) You Can Get Too Much Fiber.

This is very important, if you have a low fiber diet, don't all of sudden start adding a lot of fiber all at once. It will unfortunately backfire on you. Try to get anywhere from 25-30 grams of fiber per day because 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.

1) Getting the right amount of fiber in your diet doesn't have to be hard.

Even though you may think so, getting the amount of fiber you need isn't very hard to do. All you have to do is eat the right foods and you'll be well on your way to a fiber rich lifestyle.

As one of the key ingredients to healthy eating, fiber is something you don't want to skip. Fiber can serve many different purposes, which were covered above. If you aren't getting enough fiber in your diet - you should do something about now instead of waiting until it is too late.

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So now where to start? What are some great foods to start adding that fiber to your diet?

Below is a list of each food group and which food in that food group has the highest fiber value, but again, make sure that you start adding it gradually at first. To do that I would suggest finding a food tracking app such as MyFitnessPal that will also track how many grams of fiber you are getting throughout the day.

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Best sources of Fiber

Beans/Legumes

1) Split Peas

2) Lentils

3) Black Beans

4) Lima Beans

Veggies

1) Artichokes

2) Peas

3) Broccoli

4) Burssel Sprouts

Fruits

1) Raspberries

2) Blackberries

3) Avocados

4) Pears

Grains

1) Bran Flakes

2) Whole-Wheat Pasta

3) Pearled Barley

4) Oatmeal

Another great way to get that little extra fiber is through a supplement.

My favorite has been through Modere, but there a lot of other great options from Amazon.

Since sharing is caring, make sure to re-pin this so others can enjoy and learn about Why fiber is so important in your diet.

Why is fiber so important for your body?

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Conclusion

Adding fiber can be very easy as long as you are aware of what you need to do and doing so will be very beneficial to living a healthier life.

A great way to get started is also to go through a detox to help reset your gut health and get it ready for a higher fiber diet.

I hope that this has been helpful and informative to helping you live a healthier and happier life because let's face, if your body is healthier, life can be happier as well.

Until next time!