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What's So Great About Fiber?
Fiber has become one of the most familiar "buzz" words of the 90's, We hear a
lot about how important a high fiber diet is for our health. But, perhaps surprisingly,
many of us have simply no idea why this is true. We don't even know what fiber is or what
it does for our bodies.
Fiber is a substance found in foods that are derived from plants. It can be found in a
variety of sources such as fruits, vegetables, beans and grains. Although all vegetation
contains some amount of fiber, not all plants are high in fiber. In fact, because of their
high water content, vegetables and fruits contain less fiber than grains.
Although fiber has virtually no known nutritional value, it does play an important part in
the digestive process. Fiber adds bulk to stool and helps to move undigested foods through
the GI tract, keeping the muscles of the intestines healthy and in good shape. Some people
even refer to the fiber's job as "cleaning out the body's pipes." By fulfilling
this responsibility, fiber helps to guard against a variety of ailments and problems in
the digestive tract, such as cancer of the colon and Diverticulosis.
Diverticulosis is a common condition in the digestive tract characterized by a weakness in
the muscles of the large intestine. Low fiber intact is directly related to the
development of Diverticulosis. Colon cancer has also been scientifically linked to a low
fiber diet. In fact, this form of cancer is virtually nonexistent in areas of the world
where people consume high fiber diets. As fiber "cleans out the body's pipes,"
potentially cancer causing agents are diluted allowing them to pass quickly through the
digestive tract.
There is no Recommended Dietary Allowance for fiber, but most health care professionals
suggest that a person take in between 20 and 35 grams of fiber per day. It is best to
acquire fiber from eating a varied diet -- including some high fiber foods like
whole-grain breads, cereals, brown rice, beans and pastas -- rather than to depend on
fiber supplements. Supplements are concentrated and, if they are to work properly, require
the consumption of large amounts of water. Too high a concentration of undiluted fiber in
the system can do more harm than good by actually blocking the intestines with undigested
food.
Fiber is really much more than a "buzz" word. It is an important and necessary
part of a healthy diet. Including fiber in your diet, not only helps to keep your body
functioning properly, it helps to make you feel better as well.
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