Fiber

Fiber or dietary fiber is a substance or material found in plants, such as grains, vegetables, and fruits, and an extremely important and necessary part of a person’s healthy diet. Although the human gastrointestinal tract does not digest fiber, it is important for treating constipation and colon diverticula disease. Other functions of fiber include:

• Soluble fibers lower blood cholesterol levels
  
• Some fibers help reduce the swing in blood sugar for individuals sensitive to high or low blood sugar levels
  
• Most fiber absorbs toxins and water in the colon, acting as a bulking agent, which makes elimination easier. They also speed transit time, preventing undigested foods and waste from remaining in your colon over several days, creating several toxic by-products.
  
• Foods high in fiber help people maintain a healthy digestive system.
  
• A fiber diet helps people with weight loss. There is also a high fiber diet which aides people who are underweight and trying to gain weight to attain their goals.
  
• Fiber works inside the intestine by increasing floral growth, thus preventing disease causing bacteria buildup.
  

On the high fiber food chart, some high fiber foods are:

• Asparagus – small, cooked spears - ½ cup - 1.7 grams
  
• Banana – one medium eight inch - 3.0 grams
  
• Blackberries – raw with no sugar – ½ cup – 4.4 grams
  
• Bran meal – 3 tbsp – 6.0 grams
  
• Seven-grain bread – 2 slices – 6.5 grams
  
• Fresh cooked broccoli – ¾ cup – 7.0 grams
  

On the list of high fiber foods, other high fiber foods include cabbage, bran buds, chickpeas, corn, figs, lentils, and whole-wheat egg noodles. There are two types’ fiber, which are insoluble fiber, and soluble fiber. In water, insoluble fiber will not dissolve but soluble fiber does. When checking the fiber content of food, low fat foods are normally higher foods with fiber than fatty foods, which have very little fiber.

The fiber 35 diet is great for people who do not have the time to make fiber rich meals. Some of the fiber 35 high fiber food items include fiber one bars or protein/fiber bars and shakes. Eating a healthy diet high in fiber is one of the best ways to help improve your body’s elimination system so you have a normal bowel function. Fiber supplements are available for people that require additional fiber in their daily diets.