Dietary fiber, why consume and where to find?

Increasingly popular, dietary fiber is an essential part of healthy eating. Its consumption is increasingly recommended as a daily discovery of new benefits associated with it. But what is fiber? It is a set of compounds, its composition can not be digested in our body. However, from the gut, plays key roles in maintaining health.

The inclusion in the diet of foods rich in fiber is indicated for the prevention and treatment of various diseases such as obesity, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, intestinal disorders. Among its many benefits we can highlight that:

 Help you lose weight, as it provides greater satiety to the diet, providing more volume without adding calories.

 Fights constipation by increasing the volume of stool and facilitating their transit through the gut.

 Prevents colon cancer. In addition to promoting intestinal transit, drag carcinogens, preventing their contact with the intestinal mucosa.

 Reduces cholesterol levels, due to its ability to bind substances such as bile salts.

 Avoid sudden increases in blood sugar (blood glucose). The presence of dietary fiber in the digestive tract endentece glucose uptake, which is very favorable!

Fiber is found in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Some strategies to increase their consumption are:

 Eat whole fruits, if possible in the shell.

 Include raw vegetables and / or cooked lunch and dinner.

 Replace white rice for brown rice.

 Eat legumes (lentils, beans, chickpeas) throughout the year: in winter casseroles, stews and in the summer as part of salads.

 Read the labels of products in search phrases such as "rich in fiber?," Bran? "Multicereal?," Integral?.

 Add wheat bran or oat stocks, soups, stuffings.

Increasing fiber in the diet should be gradual as to avoid adverse effects such as diarrhea or abdominal distension. Therefore, we recommend implementing these recommendations carefully and when in doubt, consult with your nutritionist.