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Dietary Fiber: The Perfect Complement for Your Diet


Living a healthy life is one of the most important desires of most people. For this to become a fact, we should exercise continuously and keep a nutritive diet. In order to follow a nutritious alimentation plan, a wide variety of food must be included in our daily routine. This means that too much fat, cholesterol, sugar and sodium must be avoided. Among the most recommended diets by nutritionists, dietary fibers occupy a very important place.

Dietary fibers are plant materials which are indigestible to humans, constituting a complex carbohydrate. You can find dietary fibers in vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. Fiber is extremely important for our bodies because it helps the process of digestion allowing a proper cleanup of the colon. Dietary fiber is classified in two major kinds: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, as it name mentions it, is the one that dissolves in water. You can find it in the pectin from the fruits (that is why it is so important to eat the skin of the fruits), oatmeal, grapes, berries and pears.

Insoluble fiber is the one that does not dissolve in water. It is found on whole grains, brown rice, seeds, beans, bran, carrots and celery. Fiber is appropriate for the body in numerous ways other than digestion. It has been proved to lower cholesterol if combined with a balanced diet. Some studies have also related the presence of high fiber diet with lower risks of heart diseases. Dietary fiber is also related to the reduction of risks of developing diabetes, colon and rectal cancer.

Adding up fiber to your diet can be an easy task. You can start by substituting high-fiber foods (brown rice, vegetables and fruits) for low-fiber foods (white rice, candy and chips). Try not to cook vegetables. Eating raw vegetables and fruits with skin can help a lot to increase fiber. Try to include fiber in every meal. Nevertheless, fiber must be included in your diet gradually, so that the body has time to adjust. Remember to always include 6 to 8 glasses of fluids per day.

Health and nutrition is everybody’s business. The most important fact dealing with fiber is to focus on the fact that we must maintain our weight in a healthy way. Losing pounds is not synonym of a good condition. Look for more information on nutritive food and eating habits. Keep it up for your health!


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