It is necessary to have a balanced diet for a healthy life. Protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals help with our well-being.
Before we get into the list of foods that are rich in fiber and foods that don’t have any fiber, we will look into what is fiber and why it is important for our health.
Fibre is a part of vegetables and fruits. In particular, skin and the outer layer of fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber content. Unlike other nutrients, fiber is not digested by our body.
Two types of Fibre
There are two types of fiber, they are soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fibre
They are soluble in water. This type of fiber is found in apple, banana, carrot, potato, oats bran, barley, spirulina, seafood, and beans.
Insoluble Fibre
This type of fiber doesn’t undergo any change during the digestion process and also it doesn’t dissolve as well.
Benefits of Fibre
- Reduces cholesterol and regulates blood pressure.
- Fibre removes the cholesterol deposition in intestines.
- As it reduces and regulates the cholesterol levels, it indirectly helps with lowering blood pressure.
- Fibre reduces blood sugar levels.
- As fiber reduces the absorption of glucose in the gut region, it reduces the overall glucose levels in the blood.
- By reducing the sugar levels in the blood, it helps with keeping diabetes under control.
- Diabetes patients can lower their insulin dosage by consuming fiber-rich foods.
- A person needs 35 grams of fiber a day.
- We can get the needed fiber by eating fruits and vegetables.
Fibre cures constipation
Fibre has the capacity of retaining water in the body. It helps with easing the transportation of food through small intestines. This helps with preventing constipation and also prevents colon cancer.
How Fibre Helps with Weight Loss
Fibre is not rich in calories but easily gives a feeling of fullness. When we consume fiber-rich foods, we usually chew it for a longer time duration, this leads to excessive saliva secretion and this saliva travels along with the food, as fiber delays the absorption of carbohydrates and fats, it gives a feeling of fullness for longer time duration. This makes us eat less and indirectly helps us to lose weight. So when you consume fiber-rich foods, it means you are consuming less amount of fat. But do not get too excited about this fact and start taking high amounts of fiber. This can negatively impact the health. So do not overdo when it comes to fiber intake.
Further Reading:
Health Benefits of Dietary Fibre and Why Your Body Need it