Fiber, All About Fiber
By Vince DelMonte
If you are trying to create a healthy diet for yourself, you cannot overlook the importance that fiber will play. The main benefits you'll
receive from dietary fiber include improvements in the cardiovascular and digestive system along with providing a high degree of satiety.
Unfortunately, in today's world of over consumption of processed foods, a high fiber diet is hard to come by. Here are the top facts about
fiber you need to know.
Promotion Of A Healthy Digestive System
Fiber's primary role in the body is going to be to help promote a healthy digestive system. It does this by helping to keep the intestines in
proper working order and prevent the accumulation of cholesterol along the lining.
Lowering Your Bad Cholesterol Levels
Therefore, a high fiber diet can be a very good defense against the heart disease.

Fiber And Weight Loss Women who are consuming high fiber diets on a regular basis generally maintain a much lower weight than
those who don't, simply because they typically consume fewer total calories as a result.
Because it takes fiber a long time to be digested by the body, this means you will stay feeling fuller longer than if you would have done
without it.
Since it is your end of the day total calorie intake that determines weight gain or weight loss, this is absolutely essential for weight
loss.
Getting Enough Fiber
It's recommended, when it comes to being sure you are getting enough fiber in your diet, to try and average 14 grams per 1000 calories you
eat. Most women will have diets consisting between 1500 and 2000 calories, depending on your body weight and activity levels, so that will
translate to 21-28 grams of fiber total.
Increase Your Intake Slowly
Be sure that if you have not been eating much fiber in your diet at all in the past few months, increase your intake slowly.
If you go from eating very little fiber a day to getting a very high dose, you will likely suffer from extreme digestive upset and will not
feel well at all.
Try and increase the consumption over the period of a few weeks to ease this process.
Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber is the type that plays the more predominant role in the lowering of bad cholesterol levels and is fully broken down the by the
body. Sources to try and aim to consume include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, and fruits.
Insoluble Fiber
Insoluble fiber, on the other hand is not digested by the body and rather, helps to slow down gastric emptying, causing that increased satiety
effect discussed above. This is what will provide the biggest benefit when it comes to weight control for you.
Good sources of this type of fiber include whole-wheat breads, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, wheat bran, cabbage, beets, carrots, Brussels
sprouts, cauliflower, and the skin of apples.
So, be sure you do not overlook the importance of fiber in your diet. If you do get your consumption levels in line, you will most definitely
notice a change in how you feel, and more than likely, a change in how you look as well.
About the Author:
Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at Click Here
He specializes in helping skinny guys how to build lean muscle mass and burn off the body fat that is covering their
muscles.
© 2006-2008, Vince DelMonte Fitness. All rights in all media reserved.
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