Dietary Fiber - Food Sources High in Dietary Fiber
Why is Dietary Fiber Important?
Dietary fiber is a type of complex carbohydrates. Dietary fiber is a valuable health supplement that helps reduce the risk of colon cancer, helps move food in intestines for easy evacuation of bowels, reduces cholesterol levels by preventing their absorption, and helps to maintain blood sugar levels, which is crucial in diabetes mellitus. Best of all, a very minimal intake of dietary fiber does it all!
Benefits of Dietary Fiber
1. Prevents constipation - Dietary fiber is a natural laxative. It remains undigested and acts as bulk. This helps the ingested food mass to move forward and stimulates the peristaltic movements. By peristaltic waves, the food moves in the gastro intestinal tract. This aids in easy bowel elimination. But in constipation, feces remain in the intestines longer with less peristaltic movements. The longer the fecal matter remains in the intestine, the harder it becomes.
2. Prevents risk of colon cancer - Dietary fiber moves the food mass along the intestines. These movements reduces the contact of potential carcinogens in food (certain food additives such as preservatives, synthetics color agents and stabilizers are believed to be carcinogens) with the intestinal wall thereby reducing the risk of colon cancer.
3. Reduces cholesterol levels - Non-cellulose polysaccharides, a form of dietary fiber, absorbs water and swells to a large bulk and then slows the emptying of food mass from the stomach, bind with bile acids (responsible for digestion of fats) and cholesterol in the intestines, thereby preventing absorption of cholesterol.
4. Helps maintain normal blood sugar levels - Dietary fiber influences the rate of absorption of carbohydrates and ultimately alters its effect on blood sugar level.
Daily Requirements & Food Sources of Dietary Fiber
Dietary Fiber Requirements - It varies according to a person’s age, sex and type of work. According to the Mayo Clinic, men who are 50 years or younger require 38 grams of dietary fiber, while men who are over the age of 50 need 30 grams. Women who are 50 or younger require 25 grams, and women over 50 need 21 grams of dietary fiber on a daily basis. You may also get your daily fiber requirement from fiber calculator developed by University of Maryland Medical System.
Good Sources of Dietary Fiber - Dietary fiber is found abundantly in:
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Pineapples
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Fruits, such as apples, eaten with the skin
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Green leafy vegetables
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Whole wheat flour
Precautions Against Too Much Dietary Fiber
Never increase the intake of fiber beyond the daily requirements. Dietary fiber found in fruit, whole grains and vegetables are adequate to meet daily fiber requirements. Use of commercially available fiber supplements is unnecessary. Dietary fiber, when taken in excess, can bind with needed nutrients such as iron, zinc and calcium and can result in their deficiency and sometimes intestinal obstruction.
This post is part of the series: Healthy Dietary Supplements
Find out the latest super health supplements and how they improve your health!