Get Friendly with Fiber

They say, “care for your body as you would a friend.” That’s sound advice, especially when you’re starting to build healthy habits. Diet is one foundational area of self-care, and for that, you’ll need to get reacquainted with what fiber does for the body.

Simply put, our body digests the food we eat, but never without help—that’s where fiber comes in. It plays a crucial role in digestion, which dominoes onto other health benefits. Deciding to include more fiber in your diet is being a friend to your body by giving it the necessary ingredients to digest and take in nutrients better.

Here’s how introducing more fiber into your meals positively affects your overall wellbeing:

If you’re having a hard time with your number 2s, get some more fiber in your system! It bulks up your stool, promoting regular bowel movements to prevent constipation. It also helps promote a healthy gut microbiome—if that term’s confusing, just think of it as having more good bacteria that helps out in the tummy. You can prevent a number of gut conditions like diverticulosis and the formation of hemorrhoids through a high-fiber diet.

Does diabetes run in your family? If so, outrun it with more fiber! When you eat fiber-rich foods, you slow down your body’s sugar absorption, preventing the spiking up of glucose levels. When you don’t have conditions that inhibit your diet, it makes life all the more sweeter, doesn’t it?

Keeping the numbers on the scale at a healthy level is good for many reasons. When you have high-fiber foods, you’ll stay full for longer periods of time, helping you avoid binge-eating and overeating.

Want to get started on your healthy fiber habit? We have some tips for you right here:

• Never forget your fruits and veggies, include them regularly in your meals. These are natural sources of fiber and provide essential vitamins and minerals. Some easy-to-add examples are apples, berries for fruits, string beans, pumpkin and lettuce.
• If you’re looking for something to munch on, nuts and seeds like almonds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds, are excellent sources of fiber. Enjoy them as a snack or sprinkle them on top of salads or oatmeal.
• Don’t forget to hydrate. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help fiber move through the digestive system smoothly and prevent constipation.

Source links:

1. DIETARY FIBRE – AND ITS VARIOUS HEALTH BENEFITS. (2022, November). Nestle Professional Philippines. https://www.nestleprofessional.ph/sites/default/files/2022-11/nutripro_magazine_dietary_fibre.pdf
2. Barber TM, Kabisch S, Pfeiffer AFH, Weickert MO. The Health Benefits of Dietary Fibre. Nutrients. 2020 Oct 21;12(10):3209. doi: 10.3390/nu12103209. PMID: 33096647; PMCID: PMC7589116.