How much fiber do I need?

LET’S TALK ABOUT FIBER

Here’s a cool article I found about fiber. A recent study that was published in The Lancet in January of this year had some pretty interesting findings. These were some key takeaways from the article.

WHAT DID THEY FIND OUT?

The study examined just under 135 million person-years of data from 185 prospective studies and 58 clinical trials with 4635 adult participants.

Observational data suggested a 15–30% decrease in cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer. Clinical trials also show significantly lower bodyweight, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol.

The authors revealed that the amount of fiber needed to be consumed daily to gain these health benefits is between 25 g and 29 g. They also suggested that consuming more than 29 g may yield even more health benefits.

Check out the full article and get some more information here.

WHAT IS FIBER?

Fiber is the carbohydrate component of plant-based foods that is not digested or absorbed as it moves through the intestine. It helps the body regulate blood sugar, and it turns off hunger.

TYPES OF FIBER?

There are two types of fiber: insoluble and soluble.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel in the large intestine.

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water but increases the movement of waste products through the digestive tract, helping to prevent constipation.

BENEFITS OF FIBER

Soluble fiber: Promotes beneficial bacteria in digestive tract. Helps you feel fuller, lowers blood sugar levels, reduce/prevent constipation, reduces cholesterol in the blood stream.

Insoluble fiber: Promotes regularity in your digestive tract. Cannot be digested by intestinal bacteria, so it speeds up the flow of materials through your digestive system, which helps keep you regular. Also reduces the risks for diverticular disease.

Insoluble fiber & Soluble fiber: Stay fuller longer after meals. Helps lower disease risk like: obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and others.

INSOLUBLE & SOLUBE FIBER FOODS

Here is some examples of some rich fiber foods.

Soluble Fiber

Beans
Lentils
Peas
Nuts
Flaxseeds
Avocado
Oats
Some fruit
Berries
Some Vegetables
Brussel Sprouts, Carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Dried and fresh figs

Insoluble Fiber

Wheat bran
Avocado
Cocoa Powder
Nuts
Fruit Skins
Whole Grains
Brown Rice
Most Vegetables
Root Veggies, Broccoli, Cucumbers, Carrots, Green Beans, Zucchini

STAY HEALTHY, STAY HAPPY

Thank you for visiting the MA360 Blog and we hope you come back to our future posts. If you have questions post comments below or send me an email at malyndasarmy@gmail.com.

-M