Top 10 health benefits of fiber

Friday, August 02, 2013 by: Yanjun
Tags: fiber, health benefits, digestion

(NaturalNews) Dietary fiber provides numerous benefits to the human body. The top ten benefits include keeping the heart healthy, cancer prevention, it lowers cholesterol, prevents gallstones and kidney stones, promotes healthy skin, prevents stroke, aids in weight management, regulates bowels, increases energy, and it may affect the course of diabetes.

Check the top benefits of dietary fiber:

1) Your heart.

Studies have shown that high fiber intake, 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, may prevent heart disease.

2) Cancer Prevention.

Studies have shown that fiber increases how quickly food is passed through the digestive tract, which may protect against some types of cancer. Namely, colon cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer.

3) Lowering Cholesterol.

Fiber binds with cholesterol during digestion and prevents it from being absorbed and clogging the arteries. This lowers bad cholesterol (LDL's) in the blood.

4) Gallstones and Kidney Stone Prevention.

Fiber is known to prevent large amounts of insulin from entering the bloodstream during digestion, which is a leading contributor to the creation of gallstones and kidney stones.

5) Promoting Healthy Skin.

Fiber is essential in ridding the body of toxins which directly affects the health of your skin. By ingesting roughage, such as leafy vegetables, fiber binds with cholesterol and its rough texture helps rid your intestines of toxic material that could otherwise be left behind. Toxins can affect the entire body, but is most obvious in the skin. Healthy skin is the result of good blood flow when toxins are cleared from your system.

6) Preventing Stroke.

Studies show that increasing fiber in the diet lowers the risk of stroke. According to the American Heart Association, a total of 25 grams of fiber should be consumed each day. Fiber can be found in produce (fruits and vegetables and whole grains).

7) Weight Management.

With proper nutrition, hunger can be regulated and slowed. Eating whole grains with more fruits and vegetables causes the body to feel full quickly. By introducing more fiber into the diet, hunger is regulated naturally and prevents obesity.

8) Regulates Bowels.

The carcinogens in the intestine bind to the fiber, creating bulk to the stool, which keeps waste moving properly through the digestive tract. By incorporating fiber into the daily diet, constipation may be prevented in addition to hemorrhoids. Without leaving residue as waste passes through the intestine, the flow of fiber helps to lessen the risk of colon cancer, as well as regulating bowel movements.

9) Increases Energy?

Some foods and dietary supplements tout fiber as an energy source. This is a myth. Fiber is a form of indigestable carbohydrates that derive from foods such as grains. There are no calories and fiber does not produce energy on its own.

10) Helps with Diabetes.

Fruits and vegetables help regulate blood sugar, which is the key in preventing diabetes. For people who live with the condition, fiber can alter the recommended dosage of medication (insulin).

Sources for this article include:

http://www.diabetes.ca

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Sofiya has written articles on most health-related topics, including traditional medicine, alternative and naturopathic and natural treatments,health insurance, wellness, medical marijuana, diets and fitness.