Fiber from a variety of foods provides phenomenal cleansing, weight loss, and hunger quenching results. It is critical for promoting good gut health. Fiber can sometimes be over rated since terms like “high in fiber” are promoted to us at the grocery store, when the source of fiber contained in the food sometimes isn’t really that great.
You must do your research on fiber to make sure you’re actually eating the right kinds of it. Just like eating fat, you want to eat the high quality healthy fats, not the health suppressing, deadly, and toxic ones that lead to inflammation. For this reason, I am going to give you the information you need to choose the right types of fiber to eat.
Have you eaten any of these foods before that contain fake fiber?
First, fiber comes in a couple forms. We have soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and can be metabolized by the good bacteria in our guts (oat bran, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables). Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water (vegetables, whole grains, leafy greens).
Most foods that contain fiber normally have both soluble and insoluble fiber. Consuming soluble fiber is a massively positive benefit to your gut because it feeds to the good bacteria. Since we have 10 times the amount of bacteria in our digestive tract than cells in our bodies, it is important to take care of this bacteria and make sure it stays healthy.
Not all fiber is created equal for losing weight. Some fibers don’t play much of a role for weight loss, but some research has shown that since soluble fiber adsorbs water and takes longer to digest, it can make you feel fuller, resulting in you needing less food to feel full.
A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that foods that are high in fiber keep your blood sugar levels stable. When you eat carbs that don’t have much fiber, then your blood sugar levels will skyrocket and cause weight gain. Choosing a healthy food with a lot of fiber will consistently keep your blood sugar levels regulated.
If you’ve ever felt constipated and thought eating more fiber can help improve the matter, that may or may not be the case. It varies from person to person and if you eat fiber while you feel constipated and don’t see any relief, reducing fiber from your diet may be best solution for you until the symptom clears.
Eating high quality sources of fiber from fresh whole foods is the best way to go. Avoid breakfast bars, snacks, and foods that claim “high fiber”. Many of those processed foods contain fake fiber that provides no benefit to your body. Stick to the real fiber from high quality whole foods. As long as you focus on food quality, you’ll be in great shape! ')}