May 15, 2011
The Fiber 411
An apple a day can help keep the doctor away! Dive right in and learn why fiber can be so important in your diet.
The Fiber 411
Fiber helps reduce the risks of various diseases such as constipation, diabetes, heart disease, and evidence on reducing colorectal cancer is mixed.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that cannot be digested and is available in vegetables, fruit, legumes, and grains. There are two types of fiber insoluble and soluble.
Insoluble absorbs cholesterol and some toxic compounds and inhibits their absorption into the bloodstream. This is great because we breath, eat, and are surrounded by many toxins everyday. We want to flush them out of our body keeping our insides as pure and clean as possible. Examples would be whole wheat, nuts, and dark leafy vegetables. Soluble fibers help delay absorption of sugars, starches and fats so sugar is released slower reducing spikes in blood sugar (very important for diabetics). Examples would be apples, carrots, beans, and flax.
I always believe it is better to get your vitamins and minerals from organic whole foods. I am not a believer in supplementation unless under doctor recommendation. So, get out your steamer and cut up that broccoli or sauté some kale. One cup of broccoli has almost 5 grams or fiber!
According to the American Dietetic Association adult women should be getting 25 grams of fiber and men 38 grams. (http://bit.ly/iJf23x)
