Fiber is simply plant food that passes undigested through the small intestine. There are two basic types of fiber: insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber holds less water and includes vegetables, most bran products, and
These items provide the primary food source for friendly bacteria in the intestinal track. When you do not get enough soluble fiber in your daily diet, this can lead to reduced growth of friendly bacteria, increased growth of unfriendly bacteria, constipation, and increased risk for colorectal cancer.
The National Cancer Institute and the American Heart Association recommend eating an average of 25 to 30 grams daily. A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that a high intake of
dietary fiber, especially water-soluble fiber, is associated with a reduction of coronary heart disease.
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, eating twice the recommended amount of fiber can have a significant effect on your blood sugar levels. A study by the American Diabetes Association indicates that diabetics could significantly reduce their blood sugar by eating up to 50 grams of fiber per day. This study also showed that a high-fiber diet improved cholesterol levels and lowered the participants’ risk of heart disease, which is a major cause of death among people with diabetes.
A long-term study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated that eating a high-fiber diet also helps to take off the fat and keep it off. Young adults who ate at least 21 grams of fiber
per day gained an average of 8 pounds less over a ten-year period than those who ate the least amount of fiber. When you consider that a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal can contain up to 25 grams of fiber, it is not difficult to get sufficient fiber in your daily diet.
The Fat-Burning Bible High-fiber foods include the following:
• Raw or lightly cooked vegetables
• Cereals, rolls, and bread made from whole-grain flour
• Nuts, beans, peas, lentils, potatoes, and yams (with the skins on)
• Whole grains, such as whole wheat, brown rice, whole or rolled
oats, buckwheat, amaranth, and brown rice
• Raw fruits such as apples (with the skins on) and oranges
• Dried fruits such as raisins, apricots, dates, and prunes (Buy organic
dried fruits, since the drying process concentrates the level of fungicides
and pesticides.)
When you increase your daily intake of fiber, do it slowly at first to avoid discomfort and flatulence. Make sure to take a multivitamin, since fiber speeds digestion and might deplete the body of certain vitamins.
