What is Fiber And Why Should We Be Eating It?
Over past decades, the westernized diet has drastically changed. Dietary changes include increased ingestion of ultra-processed foods, foods typically low in dietary fiber, and a general decrease in the consumption of high-fiber plant-based foods. The typical American is living a fiber poor diet with people eating more foods with little to no fiber and fewer foods with considerable fiber.
Eating enough fiber appears to have numerous health benefits. Individuals with high intakes of dietary fiber appear to be at significantly lower risk for developing conditions such as coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases. In fact, getting more fiber is linked with a lower risk of dying of any health condition, including some cancers. However, many Americans only get half of their recommended fiber intake, about 15 grams of the standard 25-30 recommended daily grams. It may seem hard to double up on fiber but plenty of foods have a good amount of fiber so it's far from insurmountable. A good way to map out your daily fiber is to find high-fiber foods that work for you and incorporate at least one into each daily meal and snack.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body can’t break down. There are two main types of fiber: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and slows down digestion. It can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar. Some good sources of soluble fiber are oats, peas, beans, apples, avocados, citrus fruits, and barley. Insoluble fiber doesn't dissolve in water and aids movement through the digestive system. Some good sources of insoluble fiber are whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, and vegetables like cauliflower and potatoes. Most high-fiber plant foods contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. The amount of each type of fiber varies with the type of food but you can get both types of fiber by eating a variety of fiber-rich foods. Generally, whole foods are preferable over fiber supplements. Fiber supplements don't provide the variety of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other healthful nutrients that whole foods do.
How Fiber Helps With Weight Loss
Another significant benefit of eating more fiber is that it helps with weight loss and weight maintenance. High fiber foods are great for lowering or maintaining caloric intake. For one thing, high-fiber foods tend to be more filling than low-fiber foods which means with more fiber, you're likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer than you would otherwise. High-fiber foods also typically take longer to eat and tend to be less calorie dense than low-fiber foods. In other words, they have fewer calories than low fiber foods for the same volume of food. Low calorie foods that can be eaten in a high volume are a great way to get used to eating fewer calories and still feel full.
Are There Cons to Fiber?
Are there consequences to eating more fiber? There are far fewer and less harmful consequences of eating more fiber than the consequences of not eating enough fiber. However, there are some important things to know. Your body becomes accustomed to the typical amount of fiber that you eat daily. As such, adding too much fiber too quickly can lead to symptoms such as gas, bloating and cramping. To reduce such negative side effects, simply add fiber to your diet slowly over a few weeks. Then your natural bacteria in your digestive system will have time to adjust to the change.
It is important to be drinking enough water in general, but drinking enough water when eating more fiber is particularly important. Hydrating with increased fiber consumption is important because fiber tends to pull water into the GI tract. Thus, consuming a lot of fiber, especially if you're not drinking enough water, can cause dehydration and an increased chance of constipation. Finally, in some situations, your healthcare provider may ask you to eat less fiber, but generally we could all stand to eat more fiber.
How Artisana Organics Can Help Meet Your Fiber Goals
Whole grains are a great way to increase fiber intake and with Artisana Organics Granolas, each flavor contains whole grains like oats and quinoa. Other good sources of fiber are nuts and seeds which are also present in Artisana Organics Granolas including sunflower seeds and chia seeds. Our Granolas also include Artisana Organics nut butters for flavoring and binding which also provides some additional fiber.
Each flavor of the Artisana Organics Granolas has 2 grams of fiber per serving in both the 1 ounce snack pouch bags and the full-size 10 ounce bags. Boost the fiber content further by adding your own dried fruits such as dried cranberries or prunes.
Artisana Organics Granola is a quick, easy, and satisfying snack that can also contribute to reaching overall fiber intake recommendations.
