Fibre is necessary for our bodies because it helps us manage waste and toxins, although it is the only part of food that the body can not digest. There are two types of fibre - soluble and insoluble. Both are important in aiding the process of excreting waste and toxins from the body preventing other diseases caused by unhealthy intestines.
Soluble Fibre
- Absorbs water in the intestine. This softens stool thus helping it pass quickly.
- Binds cholesterol from food or bile acids. Because fibre can not be digested, the cholesterol is taken out of the body as waste. In a way, fibre helps in reducing cholesterol.
- It helps slow down digestion and sudden bursts of energy which leave us tired and sometimes with sudden cravings for food. Since most of our energy foods have carbohydrates and glucose, fibre helps stabilize the levels of sugar in our blood.
Insoluble Fibre
- Helps the growth and fermentation of some good bacteria. It helps make our waste soft and bulky working hand in hand with soluble fibre in helping our stool pass quickly and less painfully.
- Prevents constipation.
- Helps prevent illnesses caused by waste that is kept in our intestines for long periods of time like hemorrhoids, bowel cancer and more.
Other things to know about having a fibre healthy diet:
Like anything, too much is not good. How do you know if you have enough? Well, the recommended fibre intake is 12-18g a day, but it's still okay to have around 20-30g a day. One of the most immediate effects you will have is the ease of excreting stool, or in some cases gas (farting).
Help fibre do its job by increasing the amount of water you intake and increase the amount of fibre rich foods in your diet. Fruits, vegetables, whole wheat, bran are all examples of fiber rich food.
- Till Next Time
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