Dietary fibers are important nutrients that the human body requires in order to digest food substances, for making one feel full along with having its great effects on the digestive tract as well. The dietary fibers are an indigestible part of food that humans take in and it creates a volume in the digestive system which in turn helps in absorbing water and makes it easy for the body to pass stool as well!
The various benefits of dietary fibers
While dietary fibers are an indispensable part of human consumption, some of the benefits that a high fiber diet involves are:
- Aids in weight management.
- It helps in getting great colon health.
- Naturally great bowel movements.
- Aids in optimum blood sugar level.
- Prevents colorectal cancers.
- It lowers blood cholesterol levels as well
The daily fiber dosage
While talking about the consumption of dietary fibers, the question of how much comes into one’s mind pretty easily. To answer this, The Institute of Medicine comes to our aid where according to researches conducted by them, it has been found that women under the age of 50 should consume at least 25 grams of fiber whereas men of the same age group should intake 38 grams.
In case one is over 50 years of age, the women population needs to consume 21 grams of fiber each day whereas the amount for the male population is 30 grams daily!
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List of the top fiber-rich food to include in your diet!
Note: The quantity of fiber in the given below food substances may vary from when raw and when cooked!
Bran
Bran is actually nothing but the covering or the outer layer of cereal grain and comes in various types, with gluten and sometimes gluten-free too. It is not only great food that is high in dietary fiber but it also contains proteins, minerals, vitamins as well as some of the essential fatty acids as well. Notably, the high fiber sources of bran include oat bran, rice bran, corn bran, and wheat bran.
Vegetables
Green and leafy vegetables are nature’s storehouse of fibers, nutrients, minerals, phytochemicals, and many more. Moreover, these nutrients are available in huge quantities in collard greens, beet greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, etc.
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Sweet peas
All the varieties of peas available are loaded with fibers and can be eaten raw as well as after cooking.
Beans
Beans are by far the best and richest fiber source found in nature and can be consumed in various forms. So, incorporate all the kinds of beans such as French beans, kidney beans; black, yellow, and white beans, lima beans, lentils, etc, into the daily diet to reap the immense benefits!
Fruits
Another great source of fiber is raw fruits such as bananas, oranges, prunes, raisins, apples, pears, avocados and not to forget the berries. They are great for the digestive system and keep the body in great shape too.
The berries, especially, are loaded with fiber along with loads of antioxidants, minerals, and nutrients. These natural delights are great for consumption with high fiber content include blackberries, raspberries, currants, strawberries, elderberries, and et al.
Include the above foods in your diet to get the benefits of natural fiber.
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REFERENCES:
http://greatist.com/health/surprising-high-fiber-foods
http://www.webmd.com/diet/top-10-sources-of-fiber
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-dietary-fiber.php