The Truth About FIBER – How To Manage Your Blood Sugar level, Lower Your Cholestrol or Loose Weight The Natural Way

Why do you eat? Yes, why do you eat?

When you put food in your mouth this is what happens, the food goes through digestion, then the  NUTRITIONAL VALUE of that food is transferred into your body through your small intestine. Then the waste from that food is processed and eliminated from your body through your colon.

So, if what you are eating has little or no nutritional value, then gradually you’re doing more harm than good to your body.

We know exactly what our cars need to function more effectively and efficiently. No matter how petrol and diesel prices go up, we’ll never dilute our petrol and diesel because we know if we do we will spoil our engine. If we could only treat our hearts like we do with our artificial heart (car engine) I don’t think heart attack will become the number killer disease in the world.

I consider dietary fiber as one of the most important nutrients if not as important as water because of its health benefits to our body. If you can’t go through the day without water, you shouldn’t go through it without fiber either. 

Do you now that many people have diabetes but haven’t realized it yet? And Fiber is a good thing for people with diabetes because it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels.

The fiber in an apple or a slice of whole grain bread has no effect on blood sugar levels because it isn’t digested. Studies have shown that people with diabetes who ate the most fiber each day were better able to control their blood glucose levels than those who ate the least.

So, what is FIBER? Dietary Fiber mostly includes carbohydrates the body can’t breakdown or absorb. Because this roughage can’t be digested, our bodies don’t use it as an energy source. But it’s still an essential part of a healthy diet.

There are two (2) types of Fiber, Soluble and Insoluble depending on whether the fiber dissolves during digestion.

SOLUBLE FIBER is found in whole grains like oats, barley as well as fruits like flax-seed, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits and carrots. Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel like substance that slows down digestion. And this can help stabilize blood sugar levels and curb hunger. It helps you feel full quicker and longer so you end up eating less at meal time and less throughout the day. And that’s important for maintaining a healthy weight and even for helping to prevent or control Type 2 Diabetes.

INSOLUBLE FIBER is the second kind of fiber and your body doesn’t break this stuff down at all. So, it moves through your digestive system and ends up in the colon. It basically can be called roughage because it adds bulk to your bowl movements. It helps to ease defecation and it helps you have a regular bowl movement. It helps prevents diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, constipation and colon cancer. Insoluble fiber is found in whole wheat, dark green leafy vegetables and nuts. 

There’s a solid body of research that points to Fiber as important in preventing or controlling heart disease.  Consuming soluble fiber can help lower Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol levels, and that protects your entire cardiovascular system.

Some studies even suggest that regular fiber intake could lower your risk of developing several types of cancer. But more research needs to be done. 

The real fiber that you want comes from WHOLE FRUITS and VEGETABLES and WHOLE GRAINS. So, here are the best foods for high fiber diet:

VEGETABLES HIGH IN FIBER – 1 medium Avocado = 12g of Fiber, 1 cup coloured greens = 5g of fiber. Other vegetables high in Fiber are carrots, cheek peas, and egg plant. Half a cup of broccoli contains about 3g of fiber. But keep in mind that Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage and Spinach which are high in fiber are also goitrogenic. 1 cup cooked spinach = 4.3g Fiber, 1 medium cooked Artichoke = 10.3g Fiber. Cooking does not change vegetable’s fiber content.

LEGUMES & BEANS – They are high in fiber, easy to prepare and inexpensive. 1 cup of cooked Lentles has over 15g of Fiber. Other beans like Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Navy Beans and Lima beans are also very high in Fiber.

HIGHEST FIBER FRUITS – A lot of dried fruits are high in fiber. Dry figs for example contain a lot of fiber. Just three (3) of them contains about 10g of fiber. But keep in mind that dried fruits generally do contain some calories. So, if you’re watching your intake of calories, you might opt for lower sugar options or whole fruits. 1 medium Apple with the skin on it has 4g of fiber. 1 Pea with the skin has 5g of fiber. Mango and Guava are also high in fiber.

Other high fiber foods are whole grain bread, bran cereal , oat bran, oat meal and a cup of whole grain spagetti contains about 6g of fiber. 1 cup of whole Wheat Pasta has 6g of fiber.

NUTS & SEEDS: Nuts like almonds, peanuts, walnuts and cashews are high in fiber. 1 cup whole almonds has over 17g Fiber (about 24 Almonds has 4g Fiber), 1 cup Sun flower seeds = 14g Fiber. Please note Nuts and Seeds are also high in fat.

1 Tomatoe has 2g of fiber, Brown Rice has 3g of fiber, White Rice only has 1/2g of fiber, sweet potatoe baked with the skin on it has 4g of fiber, 1 cup of Blackberrys/Rasberrys = 8g of fiber, dried Apracuts, Prunes, Figs, kiwi are all pretty high in fiber.

There’s a complete difference in fiber intake between the juice and the real fruit.  If you eat a whole orange, you’re getting about 4g of fiber in that orange. However, if you’re drinking a cup of orange juice, you’re only getting half of the fiber. Half a cup of green peas has 5g of fiber.

Now, how much fiber should you be eating?

The Natural Academy Of Science Institute Of Medicine recommends that men under 50 years eat about 38g/DAY fiber and women under 50 years eat 25g/DAY fiber. Adults over 50 years may need 30g/DAY and women 21g/DAY of fiber.

Now, stay clear of refined or processed foods like canned fruits and vegetables, coke fruit juices, white rice, white breads, white pasta and non whole grain cereals. They are all low in fiber contents because the refinary process removes the bran from the grain and the skin from the fruits and vegetables (The less refined the grains, the greater it’s fiber content). And that’s where most of the fiber is. 

Be sure to increase your fiber intake slowly. Start by adding a couple of high fiber foods each day, and allow your body to adjust to your new diet. Increasing fiber intake too quickly can cause stomach upset. And also fiber works best when you drink a lot of water. So, drink plenty of water each day if you’re consuming more fiber.

Now, if you’re trying to manage your blood sugar level, lower your cholesterol or loose weight, it’s important that you try and add fiber to your diet. It’s easier than you think. It’s not that rough. Get some FIBER!

If you’ll like to learn the fiber content of specific foods, you can visit TheUSDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

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