Increasing Fiber Offers Health Benefits
Increasing the amount of insoluble fiber in the daily diet can have long-term health benefits. According to Wanda Koszewski, UNL Extension Nutrition Specialist, insoluble fibers are found in food such as fruits and vegetables, and products that contain whole grains.
Insoluble fibers are different from other fibers because they do not break down in water. They improve health in a number of ways, but the initial benefit is that they aid in digestion. These fibers actually absorb water from the digestive tract and keep things moving during digestion. This helps prevent a number of conditions including: colon cancer, hemorrhoids, and constipation. Insoluble fibers also have a lower caloric intake and they require more chewing which leads to a more satisfying feeling of being full and will aid a person in maintaining a healthy weight.
Insoluble fibers are found in the skins of fruits and vegetables and in products that are made with whole grains. The product ingredient label will help you locate these foods in your grocery store. If a product is made from whole grain, it means the manufacturer used the raw grain and not a refined product. Refined grains contain only the ground endosperm. Whole grains retain the bran and the germ as well as the endosperm. The insoluble fibers are found in the bran and germ of the whole grains. Some ingredients such as enriched flour are refined and then a portion of the bran and germ are reintroduced to the product, but in a lesser amount than in the whole grain product.
The recommended amount of fiber in a daily diet should be around 25 to 35 grams, and ideally half of all grains in a diet should consist of whole grains.
When increasing the amount of insoluble fiber in the diet, also increase the amount of water intake, to receive the maximum health benefit from the fiber.
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