Four Amazing Benefits of Fiber

Did you know that consuming foods that are rich in fiber could help relieve constipation, aid in weight loss and prevent colorectal cancer in your body? As surprising as it may seem, fiber in its soluble and insoluble form, found in fruits, vegetables, pulses and whole grains plays a myriad of functions in your body but is most often overshadowed by other famous nutrients like carbohydrates or proteins and vitamins.

If you are looking for safe and effective measures to prevent constipation, speed up your weight loss program and keep unwanted toxins out of your body, this article is for you. Read on to discover some amazing functions of fiber that have captured the interest of nutritionists and scientists alike.  

Four Amazing Benefits of Fiber

1. Aids in Weight Loss

Did you know that consuming foods that are rich in fiber can help you in losing weight? Yes, that’s right. Fiber in foods makes you feel full when compared to foods that are devoid of this component. When you consume whole grain foods like brown bread or whole wheat flour products, your body is boosted with amazing amounts of vitamins, minerals and fiber, which are otherwise lost when you consume refined food products like white bread or food items made of refined flour.  

Apart from giving you the much-needed satiety you desire, fiber rich foods also make you feel full at a faster rate, preventing you from consuming in excess or helping yourself for a second round. This automatically keeps your calorie intake under check, preventing you from binge eating between meals or consuming in excess during main meals, aiding your weight loss regimen.

2. Kicks Out constipation

Fiber in foods helps prevent constipation by absorbing water, thereby making stools softer and easier to be expelled from the body. Additionally, fiber also gives the much-needed roughage to the contents in your bowel. By doing so, it aids in effective removal of several toxic substances, which could be lingering inside your bowels and produce secondary health complications.

Additionally, fiber aids in easy bowel movement, helping your intestines to work and function in an improved manner, aiding in easy expulsion. Given the painful complexity of constipation, it is highly advisable to keep this condition at bay by consuming foods that provide ample amounts of fiber in your diet.

You could include a generous amount of fruits and vegetables with skin wherever possible. The outer layers of these foods are rich in fiber, which is most often lost when the skin of fruits or vegetables are peeled before consumption. Therefore, remember to wash them thoroughly and eat them with outer skin whenever possible to gain additional amounts of fiber in your diet in a natural manner.     

3. Prevents Colorectal Cancer

Fiber aids in quick and easy passage of food particles from your mouth into your digestive system, where useful nutrients are broken up and absorbed into your blood stream and the harmful food particles are prepared for expulsion. By doing so, it prevents unwanted or toxic food particles from staying back, thereby preventing the possibility of carcinogenic substances from affecting or attacking the healthy cells and tissues in and around your colon. This mechanism is greatly helpful in preventing the possibility of you developing colorectal cancer.

4. Manages Cholesterol Issues

Fiber is known to bind with LDL or bad cholesterol molecules in your body and carry them out of the blood stream for expulsion. Therefore, consuming fiber rich foods is beneficial in maintaining your cholesterol levels, which automatically decreases the chances of you suffering from atherosclerosis or cardiac arrest.  

Apart from the aforementioned benefits, fiber is also famous for maintaining bowel integrity and managing your blood sugar levels. Therefore, remember to fill your shopping basket with whole grains, different types of legumes, fruits, vegetables and nuts instead of looking out for refined products like white flour, white bread or canned pulp-free fruit juices to mention a few.