You've been encouraged to eat more fiber time and time again - but why? What is it that makes dietary fiber so beneficial for overall health and well-being? It's not only because it aids digestion and keeps you regular. Dietary fiber can also lower your risk for developing chronic conditions, increase your chance of losing weight and more, according to a study by the Department of Internal Medicine and Nutritional Sciences.
Let's take a closer look at the different types of fiber, its benefits and suggestions for meetings your daily requirements:
What is Dietary Fiber?
Fiber is the part of foods that cannot be broken down or absorbed. Instead, it passes through the body, assisting with bowel movements and keeping your digestive system healthy. It's identified as soluble or insoluble, according to Mayo Clinic, which means it either does or doesn't dissolve in water.
Quinoa, lentils, beans and legumes are full of fiber.
How Beneficial Is It?
As mentioned earlier, fiber isn't only beneficial for maintaining your digestive health. It can also:
Lower your cholesterol levels - Soluble fiber can lower levels of low-density lipoprotein.
Control blood sugar levels - Soluble fiber slows sugar absorption, which can ultimately reduce blood sugar.
Maintain your weight - Because high-fiber foods are more filling, you're less likely to over-eat which can keep you from gaining weight.
Improve your skin - Eating fiber flushes the toxins from your body, which can improve the health of your skin.
Reduce your risk for heart disease - Because soluble fiber can lower bad cholesterol levels, it can reduce your risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
How Can I Get My Daily Fiber?
If you're following our primarily raw, plant-based diet, you'll find it easy to meet daily fiber requirements. Some of the greatest sources of fiber include organic whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Fiber is found in foods such as flaxseed, fortified cereals, beans, barley, nuts, cauliflower, green beans, carrots and citrus fruits.
When making your transition to the Hallelujah Diet, we also recommend taking the Hallelujah Diet Fiber Cleanse. It contains a balanced blend of 28 herbs in a psyllium and flaxseed base to cleanse the colon, restore bowel movement and eliminate toxins from the body to assist you in living your best life. For long-term use we recommend Hallelujah Diet B-Flax-D, our organic, cold-milled flax seed product that includes B12, vitamin D3, vitamin K2, selenium and is an excellent source of several essential minerals.
Quinoa, lentils, beans and legumes are full of fiber.
