Fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet for both an athlete and a person leading a normal life. It has a truly huge number of useful properties for those who want to keep their body healthy.
Fiber, or dietary fiber, is sold separately in special jars. Likewise, they are found in food of plant origin: flax seeds, oats, buckwheat. Many hard vegetables, in particular root vegetables, have a very high percentage of fiber, while "watery" cucumbers and tomatoes are not so rich in fiber.
Fiber promotes weight loss
When it enters our gastrointestinal tract, dietary fiber triggers certain processes that contribute to a feeling of satiety. It was found that obese people began to lose weight over time when they added fiber to their diet. People were less attracted to junk food.
Helping people with diabetes
Consuming an optimal amount of dietary fiber reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In addition, it helps regulate blood sugar levels. That is, if you eat something with fiber after a sweet product, glucose will not rise as much as without fiber.
Any fiber-rich foods have a low glycemic index, that is, they are absorbed by the body for a long time and do not give a big spike in blood sugar. This is a good substitute for sweets, since if an overweight person eats something with dietary fiber, he will no longer experience cravings for sweets.
Reducing the likelihood of coronary heart disease and cancer
Studies have shown that vegans are the least susceptible to these diseases, as their diet consists mainly of plant foods rich in dietary fiber. Fiber intake is positively associated with a decrease in cardiovascular disease.
How is the gastrointestinal tract connected to the heart? Fiber is able to lower the level of bad cholesterol in the blood: the more there is, the greater the risk of disease. There is a second factor, T-reactive protein, which rises during the formation of inflammatory processes in the human body. The consumption of a large amount of dietary fiber dulls inflammation, respectively, dulls the formation of this protein.
Fiber has antioxidant properties that relieve oxidative stress in the body. Also, anticarcinogenic properties reduce the likelihood of contracting any form of cancer, mainly of the gastrointestinal tract, larynx and mammary glands.
The amount of fiber consumed
For the normal functioning of the human body, the consumption of dietary fiber should be approximately 20-25 grams per day. Provided that 6 grams of it are soluble. Objectively, observing such a rate, you reduce the occurrence of many diseases in yourself, while ensuring high-quality control of your own weight.
You can buy it separately in the form of bran, so as not to worry and not count the required amount of grams from regular food. You literally eat 2-3 tablespoons a day and thus get the required volume.
So, dietary fiber should be an essential part of any diet. Those wishing to lose weight should remember this macronutrient. Add fiber to your food on a daily basis and do not worry about various diseases!
