Know What Foods Are Great Fiber Sources
Dietary experts strongly suggest that adults should have a regular consumption of 20 to 35 grams of fiber every day as opposed to the reported 12 to 18 grams that are currently being consumed for every adult. In addition, the American Dietetic Association likewise recommends a consumption of a great variety of foods that are great fiber sources.
Insoluble fiber can be found in bran, whole grain foods, skins of fruits like tomato, nuts and seeds, and vegetable such as zucchini, celery, cauliflower, and green beans just to name a few.
Soluble fiber, on the other hand, can be had in a great variety of plant foods. This may include but are not limited to the following:
- barley, oats, rye
- legumes (soybeans and peas)
- psyllium seed husk
- vegetables (carrots and broccoli)
- root vegetables (onions, potatoes
- fruits and their juices (plums, berries, and prune juice)
The Micronutrient Center of the Linus Pauling Institute has ranked the following plant foods according to their richness in fiber. Leading the group are legumes (including beans, peas, and lentils), which contain 15 to 19 grams of fiber for every US cup serving. The wheat bran ranks next with 17 grams per cup serving, followed by the prunes with 12 grams, the Asian pear with 10 grams, and quinoa with 9 grams. It is worth mentioning that among plant foods, the great Amazonian palm berry contains 25 to 44 percent of dietary fiber in its freeze-dried powder form.
Other exceptional fiber sources are raspberries and blackberries, both examples of rubus fruits. Carbohydrates are likewise contained in legumes. These are indigestible by the digestive tract but with bacterial fermentation in the large intestines are still metabolized and therefore yield fatty acids.
Other kinds of soluble supplements that are great fiber sources are available for consumers. They are likewise helpful in reducing cholesterol levels, losing weight, and reducing the risk of cancer of the colon. These are just some of their functions aside from being used for nutritional purposed and for treating gastrointestinal disorders. They have also been tested and proven to be beneficial in easing the symptoms of constipation, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and other irritable bowel syndromes. Inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and Clostridium difficile are likewise relieved from the regular intake of soluble fiber products that are prebiotic. These fiber supplements, therefore, generally have a positive and effective impact on one’s dietary system especially for managing symptoms of irritable bowel movement especially when paired with an efficient modification of food choices.
The psyllium seed husk, on the other hand, has its own benefits. Aside from helping alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, it is also known to reduce the risk of getting a heard disease by its effect of lowering cholesterol levels.
It should be no wonder that experts have reported that consistent and regular intake of foods that are known to be great fiber sources is now associated with reduced risk of getting sick with the following diseases:
- obesity
- several types of cancer
- high-blood cholesterol
- type 2 diabetes
- gastronintestinal disorders
- cardiovascular diseases
