Foods Contain Fiber – Recommended Intake of Fiber for Your Health

What Is Fiber & How Does It Work

Fiber is a complex carbohydrate that is found in most plants. Fiber cannot be digested or absorbed into the bloodstream, and it passes through the digestive system without being broken down. However, fiber food is very important in the digestive process.

Fiber slows down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, which keeps blood sugar on an even level, thereby decreasing the risk of diabetes and high cholesterol. The slow absorption of glucose also slows down the release of insulin into the body. Large amounts of insulin can make a person more likely to develop gallstones and kidney stones. Thus, intake of food that contains fiber is essential in a healthy diet.

The passage of food through the body is speeded up when there is lots of fiber in the body. This prevents harmful chemicals from staying in the body for long and reduces the chances of colon cancer.

Fiber is only broken down in the colon, and the organic acids from this breakdown aid the metabolism process. As fiber can absorb large amounts of water in the bowels, this makes stools softer and therefore easier to pass. This avoids the risk of constipation or hemorrhoids.

Fiber Foods And Recommended Intakes

The recommended daily intake of fiber for optimum health for men is at least 30 to 40 grams of fiber, while for women it is between 20 and 25 grams. Good sources of high fiber foods include cereals, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. You can meet the recommended intake amount by consuming at least two servings of fruits or three servings of vegetables or three or more servings of cereals and legumes with a moderate fiber content.

Any food item is labeled as “high fiber” when it contains more than 5 gm of fiber per serving. Fruits like strawberries and apples have moderate 3.5 gm content. High fiber fruits include grapefruits and raspberries with 6 gm and 8 gm of fiber, respectively. Vegetables like potatoes contain 4 gm of fiber, while broccoli contains 5 gm. High fiber vegetables include artichokes with 10 gm of fiber and peas with 8 gm of fiber. In terms of cereals, oatmeal contains 4 gm of fiber, whole wheat products contain 2 gm, and brown rice contains 3.5 gm of fiber. Nuts like almonds and pistachios have 3 gm fiber content. A high fiber cereal is barley with 6 gm of fiber. Legumes like beans and lentils are extremely rich in fiber and contain about 16 gm of fiber.

In order to make it easy to know the fiber content, a fiber chart can be used; it is easily available with doctors or in books. They contain the fiber content of different food types with guidelines regarding consumption amounts. A fiber diet will help keep all digestive problems at bay.