What you NEED to know about fiber and its impact on our health.

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t digest. Though most carbohydrates are broken down into sugar molecules, fiber cannot be broken down into sugar molecules, and instead, it passes through the body undigested.

Dietary fiber provides our body with numerous benefits, but research has shown that we consume less than ½ the recommended intake daily. And now you are probably asking : How much do I need?

According to the AHA (American Heart Association), the daily value for fiber is 25 grams per day on a 2,000-calorie diet for adults. This number may also depend on age or sex:

women under 50: 21 to 25 grams per day
men under 50: 30 to 38 grams per day

Why do we need fiber?

Unbelievable that something we can’t even digest is so crucial for our health, right? Overall, fiber delivers a lot of health benefits:

supports weight loss- increase the feeling of fullness which helps us to not overeat .
reduces cholesterol and blood sugar levels- they help to slow down the carbohydrate breakdown
fuels healthy gut bacteria, increases digestive and bowel movement, lowers risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart disease.

Types of fiber

There are two types of fiber- water-soluble and water-insoluble. Each works completely different in your body and gives you distinct health perks.

Soluble fiber. -This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. This slows digestion and can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels to be released for a lot longer period of time. Some soluble fiber-rich foods feed gut bacteria, as it is fermentable in the colon, and so it helps the bacteria thrive longer.

Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.

Insoluble fiber.-Does not blend with the water and passes through the digestive system mostly intact and only speed up the food digestion process. In that way, they reduce chances of constipation and help to flush out toxins out of the body. Good sources of insoluble fiber include beans, whole wheat or bran products, green beans, potatoes, cauliflowers, and nuts.

A healthful diet contains a mix of both soluble and insoluble fiber. While many fiber supplements exist, most do not contain the additional vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B and iron, found in fiber-rich foods. Supplements may also not be, as easily or fully absorbed by the body compared to nutrient absorption from a well-rounded healthy diet.