What is fiber?
Fiber is the part of a grain or vegetable that cannot be digested. There are really two types of fiber in carbohydrates: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber can be broken down by enzymes in the stomach. When it is added into food it almost acts like fat, except it does not have calories. Rolled oats, beans, and broccoli, have an abundance of soluble fiber in them.
Insoluble fiber acts as a cleaning agent in the gastrointestinal tract. It helps you to digest your food more quickly and efficiently. Insoluble fiber is found in many foods including whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. It is not found in meat or dairy products.
It is recommended that a healthy individual should consume 25 g of fiber per day, so enough unrefined carbohydrates should be eaten each day to meet this requirement. The average person does not get near enough fiber in his or her daily diet.
What are the benefits of fiber?
Diet high in fiber help to prevent diabetes, colon cancer, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, high cholesterol, and heart disease. It can also help us to lose weight in two ways. First, it is calorie free. When you eat it you are not really adding extra calories. You are eating something that just passes through and cleanses your system.
Second, foods high in fiber make you feel fuller, and consequently you end up eating less in the long run. Think of it as getting "more bang for your buck." When you eat fiber you get more satisfaction for the amount of food you eat.
A note about cereal
Many cereals advertise about fiber. However not all cereals are equal. I have a doctor's long time ago who used to tell me, "the more it tastes like ground-up tree bark, the better it is for you." While this is a radical and even disappointing statement, it is true. But maybe you don't want to go that far out on a limb and he sets flavorless food. My own rule of thumb is to find cereals with at least 4 g of fiber per serving. Oatmeal, bran cereals, and frosted shredded wheat fit that bill.
Yet it is an important component for weight loss and health. So get out that cereal bowl and spoon, and chomp down your favorite high-fiber cereal and lose body fat. Don't forget to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. To three servings of you should be consumed every day. Now you have a great excuse to enjoy your carbs- it is a great weight-loss strategy.
Mike Miller began his quest to be at his ideal body weight in
2004. Since then, he has reached his goal and kept thin. He now has a
website, http://www.fatloss411.net giving away his information on how to lose weight. Stop by and learn with him.
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