Overview
Fiber is the mainstay to a healthy diet. Contrary to some beliefs, fiber is not an unsavory ingredient in boring foods. Fiber exists in sweet fruits, spicy bean dishes and snack foods such as nuts and popcorn. If your looking to add more fiber to your diet, do so slowly to avoid bloating and gas. Consuming more liquids also helps your body digest fiber.Health Benefits of Fiber
Fiber should be a staple in your diet for hosts of reasons. Eating the recommended amount of fiber is essential to healthy digestion, and helps ward off constipation and hemorrhoids. Adequate intake of dietary fiber may also help reduce your cholesterol levels and lower your risk of diseases such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and even some types of cancer. Additionally, a high-fiber diet assists with weight loss by curbing hunger and helping you resist the urge to overeat.
Types of Fiber
Not all fiber is equal. The two main types of fiber -- soluble and insoluble -- effect the body differently, although both are significant in their own ways. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance in your body. It absorbs more quickly than insoluble fiber, helping reduce cholesterol and in turn, your risk of heart disease. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, and is therefore slower to digest. This type of fiber keeps you fuller longer, and is purported to reduce your risk of colon cancer by efficiently moving foods through the digestive tract.
Best Sources of Fiber
To acquire your recommended daily intake of fiber, choose foods that are unrefined and unprocessed. Women age 50 and younger need approximately 25 g of fiber daily; men of the same age need 38 g of fiber. Both men and women age 51 and older need less daily fiber -- approximately 21 g for women and 30 g for men. Fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, whole grains, seeds and nuts are your best high-fiber food options.
Whole Foods Vs. Supplements
Maintaining a high-fiber diet is not difficult with so many tasty selections from which to choose. When compared to fiber supplements, whole foods are the best sources of fiber, according to MayoClinic.com, as supplements lack the important nutrients that whole foods contain. People with certain conditions, however, might need fiber supplements for additional support. Talk to your doctor if you have frequent constipation, diarrhea or stomach pain after meals.
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