THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG
Question: I know that I am supposed to eat a lot of fiber but I am not sure why. Is it the fact that fiber makes it easier for me to have regular bowel movements?
Answer: Regular bowel movements are an excellent reason to consume large amounts of fiber but they are not the whole story.
Your body is not supposed to absorb all the food you eat. In fact, you should strive to increase the amounts of food you eat that your body cannot absorb. These foods include whole grain and unrefined foods which are high in fiber. The fiber found in unprocessed foods can actually help reduce the risk of colon cancer, diverticulitis, diabetes and heart disease. Fiber is found only in plant foods like whole grain breads, brown rice, bulgur wheat, oatmeal, bran cereals, bran muffins and bran flakes. It is better to eat whole foods to get your fiber than to add bran to everything because too much bran can actually rob your body of some minerals.
Fiber leaves a residue in the intestines that the body cannot absorb. This residue is actually good for the digestive tract and it also aids in lowering cholesterol levels. The effect of fiber that is immediately noticeable is that it fills you up... but with few calories.
High fiber foods include everything mentioned above plus vegetables and fruits. and it also aids in lowering cholesterol levels. The effect of fiber that is immediately noticeable is that it fills you up... but with few calories.
High fiber foods include everything mentioned above plus vegetables and fruits. You can also get plenty of fiber in your diet by eating cereals such as shredded wheat and puffed wheat, or making whole grain pancakes, waffles and muffins.
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