Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Fiber? You’ll be Surprised to Find Out
There are tons of diets out there that people keep on trying to lose weight or attain a certain health goal when all they need to pay attention to is the nutritional value of a certain food as well as educate themselves on the importance of eating well. With so many different types of minerals and vitamins out there, it can get confusing to figure out how much of a certain food to eat in order to reap its nutritional benefits. One important nutrient that we’ve often heard about is fiber. But what exactly is it and how much do you really need of this stuff?
Make Fiber Your Best Friend
It is believed that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Dietitians think that it is true in a certain way since apples contain a good amount of fiber in it, which can help people live longer. Fiber is known as a miracle cure for people suffering from digestive problems and it is that one important nutrient that almost all of us can benefit from.
Based on a recent research, consuming food high in fiber can help the body fight off any diseases. The World Health Organization said that researchers spend over 40 years just to figure out how many benefits the body can get from it. This study, published last week, was considered as a form of meta-analysis of all the virtual studies they have looked into including research material that has been around for over a century. The others based their research on over 58 clinical trials conducted on more than 4,600 participants.
It may have taken them a long time to research, but experts have found that humans are better off consuming fiber, especially if they wish to reduce the possibilities of getting chronic diseases that are usually caused by an unhealthy dietary habits. Death may be inevitable since it is a part of the cycle of life, but that shouldn’t refrain you from taking certain steps to live a longer, healthier life.
Benefits of Fiber
Fiber doesn’t just help people live longer, it is also known to be such a great help for those who wish to lose a couple of pounds. Increasing your dietary fiber intake will surely make you feel fuller, which will curb your appetite for a longer period of time, ensuring that you don’t think about snacking in between meals. Some foods, high in fiber, fill you up for hours and you won’t even feel like you need to eat anytime soon.
It can be pretty tough to control yourself especially when the food is good, but overeating can obviously lead to weight gain. By consuming more fiber, you slow down the digestion of carbohydrates so that they are not converted into glucose as soon as they enter the system. It also has the power to reduce your calorie intake without having to go on a diet and keep your insulin levels in check.
According to dietitian and author Tanya Zuckerbrot, the sugar molecules that travel through the digestive track attach to the fat molecules, resulting in a slow breakdown of nutrients. Foods that contain dietary fiber are mostly fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grain breads, cereal, and other grains. Nuts like pistachios, almonds, sunflower seeds are also high in fiber and healthy fats.
Too Much Fiber Can Be Bad
Even though fiber has a ton of benefits for the human body, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should eat too much of it. Keep in mind that in every diet, too much of anything can only lead to negative results. Some people think that having too much healthy food is not bad, but what they don’t realize is that there is no such thing as bad food. There may be unhealthy foods out there, but consuming them sparingly won’t have a noticeable effect on your health. The problem starts when you eat too much of a certain food. Similarly, being overly obsessed with consuming fiber just because of its amazing benefits will not end up well for you.
Dietitians say that the daily recommended intake of fiber is about 25 to 35 grams. People who go overboard by consuming green smoothies and fiber supplements may end up harming their health. Although fiber aids digestion, too much of it can actually have the opposite effect and lead to constipation. This is because fiber cannot be digested, and it builds up through the digestive track, making you feel gassy and bloated. This is why some vegetables that contain fiber are the known for gas production inside the stomach.
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