Why You Should Be Including Foods High In Fiber In Your Diet

When people ask me what I think is the most important change they can make to their health, I usually recommend that they begin eating a diet high in dietary fiber.

Most anthropologist today believe that early humans ate a diet far higher in fiber than we currently do. And most health experts agree that the daily intake of fiber should be approximately 25 grams (early humans may have eaten twice that amount or more).

There are two kinds of fiber you should be aware of soluble and insoluble. A soluble fiber dissolves easily in water. This kind of fiber has been linked to reducing cholesterol—namely because soluble fiber binds to cholesterol in our digestive tracts and helps flush it from our bodies.

Soluble fiber has also been researched as a dietary adjunct treatment for type II diabetes. This is because fiber slows how quickly sugar can enter the blood stream—preventing it from becoming dangerously high. In fact, several high concentrate soluble fibers are currently being researched for their ability to stabilize the blood sugar of type II diabetics.

Insoluble fiber is responsible for bulking up our stool—helping to prevent constipation, polyps, and diverticula (intestinal out-pouches that can be caused by straining during bowel movements).

In general, fiber fills you up reducing hunger pangs—even when the high fiber food you are eating is low in calories. These foods are often not only high in fiber, but nutrient dense as well. Good examples of high fiber low-calorie foods include; root vegetables like carrots and parsnips, green leafy vegetables, like spinach and kale, as well as squashes, beans, nuts and seeds, and whole grains (like unprocessed brown rice, buckwheat an quinoa). These foods are highly nutritious but low in calories—filling you up without weighing you down.

So if you are serious about staying healthy and loosing weight, simply begin counting your fiber. Begin by looking at the foods you are eating and asking yourself "how much fiber is in the meal I am eating right now?" How much fiber is in this condiment or dressing? You can be sure that if you are eating a meal rich in fiber—your meal is substantially lower in calories. High fiber meals are typically either vegan or 90% vegan with meat being eaten as a condiment. Great ideas for high fiber meals include; beans, whole grains, or a salad garnished with a small amount of lean animal protein like salmon or chicken.