Benefits of Fiber – Startling Facts
Boy was I shocked when I learned a startling statistic. Almost 90% of the population doesn’t eat enough fiber! Ideally, we are supposed to consume 30 grams of fiber a day. Most of us don’t even reach half the daily required amount! We both know that there are many benefits of fiber but I thought we had access to more fiber than what we are supposedly consuming.
Okay, so let’s look at the facts first of WHY we aren’t receiving enough fiber. Well, according to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, over 25% of the American population eat fast food every day. Why not? It’s convenient, has low-prices and has a casual environment. Did you know that most items on a menu has less than 1 gram of fiber?
What about dining out? If you make vegetables just an occasional side dish then you are more than likely not getting enough fiber. Since MOST fiber comes from plant-based sources, we should be ordering more vegetables with our meals.
Breads and pastas that are white (refined) means that all the fiber has been “stripped” and it has basically no nutritional value at all. That means we should eat whole grain breads and pastas.
What about all the junk food we eat? There is no fiber in twinkies. There is also no fiber in fat. Sadly, on a given day, 45% of Americans have no fruits and 22% have no vegetables so you know there’s a lot of people not receiving the benefits of fiber.
Download a chart that lists the top fiber foods to eat.
What Can Happen If We Don’t Eat Enough So We Aren’t Receiving the Benefits of Fiber?
This is the scary part. If we don’t eat enough fiber, the immediate side effects are weight gain, lack of energy, constipation, bloating, cramps and gas. The really scary part is the long-term consequences. Our chances of the following go up: high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, colon cancer, diverticular disease, and dysbacteriosis. Those are the most common results of low fiber diets.
What are some ways we can increase our intake and enjoy the benefits of fiber?
I wrote an article about bloatedness and the first thing I did was suggest adding dietary fiber to your diet. But that really just skims the iceberg. With most of us not eating enough fruits and veggies, even when we think we are, we are NOT receiving the benefits of fiber and need to look at other alternatives. I found a great website that discusses the other options we can do to increase and get the benefits of fiber in our diets.
It lists some great sources of fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans that add many benefits of fiber. Meal replacement shakes are another great source of benefits of fiber. I LOVE my meal replacement shakes because I put frozen fruit, oats, greens powder. I always feel great when I drink them.
So what if you don’t eat enough fiber and don’t want (or like) to drink meal replacement shakes? I found an article that reviewed and discusses the benefits of fiber drinks. The one that got the best reviews was from a company called Advocare. Here is some information I got directly from their website about their product, Fiber Drink:
Benefits of Fiber Drink is rich in the fibers your body needs to work at its best. Each serving provides 10 grams of dietary fiber, helping you easily reach the recommended amount of 25-30 grams each day. Each serving provides six grams of soluble fiber and four grams of insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber absorbs water in your stomach and intestines and provides a feeling of fullness that helps curb your appetite. Soluble fiber can also help minimize the absorption of fats and sugars.
Insoluble fiber does not absorb water, but rather moves quickly through your system, cleansing the digestive tract and eliminating waste as it goes. Once your digestive tract is cleansed by the insoluble fibers in Benefits of Fiber Drink, your body will be able to better absorb vitamins, minerals and nutrients, leading to better health.
Benefits of Fiber can also help maintain cholesterol levels that are already in the normal range directly by minimizing the absorption of lipids, and indirectly by helping you make better food choices.
Finally, fiber plays a role in management of already healthy blood sugar levels by slowing the digestion and absorption of glucose. Fiber Drink’s two delicious, fruity flavors make getting your daily fiber easy.
Is this you?
Someone who does not consume the recommended daily amount of fiber
Someone looking for well-rounded health and wellness
Someone looking for a way to enhance your weight management
Someone who suffers from occasional constipation or diarrhea
Someone looking for an easy-to-digest fiber supplement that tastes great
It is my desire to share with as many people as possible the many benefits of fiber so they will avoid not only the short term effects but especially the long-term ones as well!
To your fiber health,
