Food provides our body with energy and essential nutrients for growth. However, it is important to understand the different types of meals and how to ensure a healthy diet. This post covers a lot about fiber, its benefits, and how to incorporate it into your daily diet.
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So what is fiber?
Fiber, also called fiber, is carbohydrates that the body cannot break down. Hence, it happens undigested to our body because the body cannot break it down into sugar molecules like it normally can with other carbohydrates. Whether young or old, everyone needs fiber in their diet.
But why does our body need fiber?
Fiber comes in two forms (soluble and insoluble) and is essential for maintaining a healthy body.
As the name suggests, soluble fiber dissolves in water. It is important in:
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- lowering blood sugar levels
- Lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood
You can find soluble fiber in foods like oatmeal, beans, and apples. So if you have a high cholesterol problem, these are some of the foods that should be included in your diet.
On the other hand, insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. However, it helps with:
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- Transport of food through your digestive system
- Constipation Prevention and Weight Management
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Some good sources of insoluble fiber are fruits, nuts, and vegetables.
Top 4 Easy Ways To Increase The Fiber In Your Diet
Here are some manageable ways to add more fiber to your daily diet.
Add more vegetables to your meals and make sure you eat them first
In general, a vegetable can be any edible part of a plant, including seeds, leaves, stems, roots, and fruits. As such, it is one of the foods that is available in almost all parts of the world. Vegetables, especially the non-starchy ones, are high in nutrients such as fiber and low in calories.
An excellent strategy to ensure a high intake of vegetables is to eat them before another meal.
Switch to high fiber snacks
Whether fruit or biscuit, everyone enjoys a snack now and then. Snacks help maintain energy levels and increase the absorption of nutrients. However, if you want to increase your fiber intake, you can switch to higher fiber snacks like popcorn, nuts, and berries.
Popcorns, for example, are the best snacks because you can eat a whole bowl without feeling full. In addition, with such a high fiber content, you can achieve the required daily intake in both snacks and main meals.
Avoid juicing, eat fruits and vegetables whole
Juiced foods are easier to consume. For this reason, most people prefer to juice their fruits and vegetables rather than eat them whole. However, you should consider the latter if you want to increase your fiber intake.
The juices may contain more concentrated carbohydrate nutrients that can be easily absorbed. However, they have been stripped of fiber, an essential nutrient the body needs from vegetables and fruits. So you should consider eating them whole instead.
Include more berries and chia seeds in your diet
For most of us, berries and chia seeds are a rare sight on our tables. However, it may be time to find some of these and incorporate them into our daily diet. Berries with seeds, for example, are a good source of fiber. These include raspberries and blackberries with 8 grams of fiber per cup. You can replace these with blueberries or strawberries, which contain 4 grams and 3 grams per cup, respectively.
Chia seeds, on the other hand, provide your body with 10 grams of fiber per ounce. In addition, they provide other minerals such as proteins and vitamins that are essential for various purposes in your body.
