Fiber is Good For Us
Sure, you've heard that fiber is good for you, but do you know why? Four key benefits come from eating a diet rich in fiber.
1. Fiber slows the rate that sugar is adsorbed into the bloodstream. When you eat foods high in fiber -- such as beans and whole grains -- the sugar in those foods is absorbed slower, which keeps your blood glucose levels from rising too fast. This is good for you because spikes in glucose fall rapidly, which can cause you to be hungry soon after eating and lead to overeating.
2. Fiber makes your intestines move faster. When you eat whole grains rich in insoluble fiber, it moves faster through your intestines, which can help signal that you are full.
3. Fiber cleans your colon -- acting like a scrub brush. The scrub-brush effect of fiber helps clean out bacteria and other buildup in your intestines, and reduces your risk for colon cancer.
4. Fiber helps keep you regular. A high-fiber diet helps you have soft, regular bowel movements, reducing constipation.
Most of us haven't a clue how many grams of fiber we get from our diets in on a typical day. Yet for many Americans, this number should be doubled. A recent American Dietetic Association position paper reported that most of us don't even come close to the recommended intake of 20 grams to 35 grams of fiber a day. Americans' mean fiber intake is about half that --14-15 grams a day.
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