What are food fibers and why fibers are important for a healthy diet

The idea of food fibers first appeared in the medical journals of the 50’s. Until today there isn’t an exact scientific definition of what food fibers are. The nutritionists have all convened that food fibers are the part of vegetables, fruits and cereals that cannot be digested. Food fibers pass through the digestive system without getting affected by it.

Without an exact definition scientists still were able to reach the conclusion that food fibers are extremely beneficial for our health. A fiber rich nutrition helps you avoid constipation, keep your cholesterol and blood sugar levels low. Food fibers are great when it comes to losing weight because they can fill your stomach and give you the feeling satiety with the price of few calories.

Through the types of food fibers present in ordinary foods you will find:

• -cellulose found in corn, root crop vegetables, cabbage, apples.
• -hemicellulose found in corn and wholegrain cereals.
• -pectins found in apples, strawberries, lemons.
• -lignans found in root crops, fruits and seeds.

These aren’t all the dietary fibers that exist. More important than their name is the type of food fibers. Food fibers are either soluble food fibers or insoluble food fibers.

Soluble fibers are the ones that stabilize your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Soluble dietary fibers slow down the absorption of glycerin and cholesterol in the blood stream.

Insoluble fibers are efficient in combating constipation, reducing that way the risk of colon cancer and hemorrhoids. The majority of foods that are a source of dietary fibers contain soluble and insoluble food fibers.

It is recommended to eat at least 20 grams of food fibers daily. You can check the contents of fibers of the foods you buy at the supermarket by reading their nutritional information from the package. A warning: eating too much dietary fibers can lead to dehydration. That is why you should drink more water if you decide to eat more fibers.

Find out The health benefits of dietary fibers.