Why It Is Necessary to Enrich Your Diet with Fiber

The modern world is characterized by the rapid development of technology, actively integrating into everyday life. This is especially noticeable in household chores, where innovations make tasks easier. Kitchen appliances are constantly improving, providing new ways to process food. However, despite the obvious advantages of these changes, they bring certain negative consequences: fresh vegetables, fruits, whole-grain products, and unprocessed grains are becoming less popular, leading to a significant reduction in fiber consumption—an essential component of a healthy diet.

Fiber is a complex carbohydrate of plant origin that is not digested by stomach enzymes but is processed by beneficial gut microbiota. The primary sources of fiber are the rough tissues of plants: seed peels, fruit pulp, fibrous parts of leaves, and pods of legumes.

In this article, we will discuss why fiber is so important for the body, which foods contain the most fiber, and how to include it in your daily diet.

The Benefits of Fiber for Health

1. Weight Normalization

Fiber has an amazing property: once it reaches the stomach, it absorbs liquid and expands in volume. This creates a feeling of fullness within minutes of starting a meal. This helps reduce calorie intake without feeling hungry. Additionally, fiber slows the absorption of nutrients, helping to avoid sharp spikes in blood sugar levels and contributing to healthy weight maintenance.

Helpful Tip
Adding oat bran to your morning porridge will help you feel full longer.

2. Gut Health Support

Soluble types of fiber, such as pectins and hemicellulose, transform in the gut into a viscous mass that coats the digestive organs' walls, protecting them from the aggressive effects of enzymes and acids. This reduces the risk of diseases such as colitis, diverticulosis, and colon cancer. Moreover, fiber promotes the growth of beneficial microbiota, which suppresses pathogenic microorganisms.

Helpful Tip
Include foods high in soluble fiber, such as apples, pears, and oatmeal, in your diet.

3. Hemorrhoid Prevention

Insoluble fiber, represented by cellulose and lignin, improves intestinal motility, facilitating bowel movements and preventing constipation. This is especially important for preventing hemorrhoids.

Helpful Tip
Regular consumption of foods rich in insoluble fiber, such as bran and carrots, will help avoid discomfort and related conditions.

4. Stabilization of Blood Sugar Levels

Fiber slows the absorption of carbohydrates, preventing sharp spikes in blood glucose levels. This is particularly important for people with diabetes, as it helps reduce the need for high doses of insulin.

Fiber is processed in the gut. This also produces carbohydrates, but their absorption does not lead to increased blood glucose levels. Consuming fiber is much safer for health than including refined sugar in the diet.

Helpful Tip
Eating whole-grain bread instead of white bread helps maintain stable sugar levels longer.

5. Heart Disease Protection

Studies show that fiber reduces levels of "bad" cholesterol in the blood by slowing fat absorption. This helps maintain vessel elasticity and prevent cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Interesting Fact
Daily consumption of 200 grams of fiber-rich fruits reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases by almost half.

6. Improved Skin Condition

Skin health is directly linked to gut health. Regular fiber intake reduces toxin levels in the body, positively affecting the skin. It becomes more elastic, the risk of inflammation decreases, and sebaceous gland function normalizes.

Helpful Tip
Add fresh vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes, to your diet to maintain a healthy skin tone.

Improved skin condition — stock.adobe.com

How to Enrich Your Diet with Fiber

The maximum amount of fiber is found in the following products:

Legumes: beans, peas, lentils.
Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots.
Fruits: apples, pears, oranges.
Whole-grain products: wholemeal bread, brown rice, oatmeal.
Nuts and seeds: almonds, chia seeds, flaxseeds.

To increase fiber intake, follow these recommendations:

Eat fruits and vegetables raw, as heat treatment can destroy some fiber.
Choose whole-grain products instead of refined ones.
Include legume-based dishes at least three times a week.
Add nuts and seeds to your diet, but in moderation due to their high caloric content.

The recommended daily fiber intake for an adult is about 35 grams. However, most people consume less than a third of this amount. For example, a serving of oatmeal with berries and nuts can contain up to 10 grams of fiber, which makes up a significant part of the daily requirement.

A lack of fiber in the diet is a serious problem, but it is easily solvable. Including fresh vegetables, fruits, whole-grain products, and legumes in your diet requires little effort or expense but brings significant health benefits. Take care of your diet, and your body will thank you with energy, strong health, and excellent well-being.