Definition Of Dietary Fiber, Types And Health Benefits

Dietary fiber also called roughage or bulk and are the outer parts of most plants foods the body cant digest or absorb fiber on like other food component such as carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals that can be broken down and digested.

Examples of Fibers:

• Vegetables: Cabbage, Spinach, lettuce, Amaranthus, pumpkin leaves, bitter leaves, water leave, moringa leaves, cucumber etc.
• Fruits: Orange, Banana, Mango, Water melon, Apple, pineapple etc.  
• Cereals and Grains: all whole grains such as wheat, millet, corn, Hungary rice, rice, finger millet etc.
• Legumes: Beans of all type.

Types of Dietary Fiber: There are two (2) types of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber.

Both type of fiber plays vital role in our diet to healthy foods, digestion and prevention of diseases.

Soluble fiber:  Soluble fiber are the fiber that attract water during digestion and turns to gel or gummy, they slows digestion and also help to control bowel movement. Soluble fiber may help to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, they are found in foods such oat bran, nuts, seeds, beans, barley, lentils, peas and also in some fruits and vegetables.

Insoluble fiber: This type of fiber are insoluble in water therefor adding bulk to stool in the digestive system. Insoluble help foods to pass more quickly through the stomach and intestine. Both fibers (soluble and insoluble) are needed in our diet as both help to play a very vital role in controlling bowel movement during digestion. They increases the weight, size and soften  the stool, since the stool is bulky and soft then adequate fiber intake prevents constipation. Fiber can also solidified watery and lose stool because soluble fiber absorbs water and make it tick and bulky. Fiber helps in the removal of waste smoothly through the body. Soluble fiber helps to lower cholesterol level therefore preventing obesity, regulate sugar level in the blood preventing diabetes. High fiber may regulate weight lost by keeping one to the fullest for a longer period. Diet containing high fiber for both insoluble and soluble helps one to focus on diet intake instead of deciding which one is soluble or insoluble.

How To Meet Up Your Fiber Intake:

1. Add beans, lentils and peas to diet such as soup and salad.
2. Reduce the intake of polished cereals such as white rice, white bread, pesters etc.
3. Take more of whole grain cereals such as whole wheat, whole wheat bread, whole corn, millet etc.
4. Add fruits and vegetables daily to your diets with the skin of fruits example mangoes, apples etc. The skins of fruit and vegetables contains lots of fiber vegetables such as sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes they are all rich in fiber.
5. Fiber supplements are allowed if one cant meet up their recommended intake especially in diseases conditions such as constipations.

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