If your doctor is recommending that you switch to a primarily plant-based diet, his concern may be that you’re not getting enough vitamins and nutrients on a daily basis. Additionally, fruits and vegetables are also great sources of natural fiber. There are many ways that eating more fiber will boost your physical health. From preventing disease to helping you feel better, eating more fiber will provide a great number of advantages.
Maintain a Healthier Weight
Foods that have a high content of natural fiber will help you lose weight and keep it off for longer. This is because it takes longer for the body to digest fiber and, as a result, fiber-rich foods, such as high protein baked oatmeal, remain in the stomach for longer. Increasing your fiber intake will reduce the hunger cravings you feel throughout the day as a result. You will also feel full for longer. These two factors will keep you from snacking on unhealthy foods throughout between meals. In one study, researchers found that people who ate a minimum of 40 grams of fiber per day lost more weight than those who followed a complex diet that involved counting calories and limiting their consumption of carbs and sugar.
Fiber Regulate Your Blood Sugar
Even if you haven’t been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, adding more fiber to your diet can help reduce your risks of developing this medical condition. If you do have type 2 diabetes, eating more will help you control your blood sugar levels. It helps in these two ways by reducing the likelihood that you’ll snack on carbs and sugary foods. Additionally, people who lose weight and maintain healthier body types reduce their risks of developing diabetes. If you are overweight and diabetic, losing weight can restore you to a pre-diabetes state. Researchers recommend a daily intake of 19 grams of fiber or more to enjoy these health benefits.
Fiber Keep Your Heart Healthier
LDL or low-density lipoproteins are known as the “bad” cholesterol because a high concentration can lead to plaque buildup in your artery walls. As the plaque intensifies in your arteries, blood flow will be inhibited, forcing the heart to work harder to push blood to critical organs. This entire process puts the heart at risk, but you can lower these risks significantly by adding more fiber to your diet. This food soaks up the cholesterol in your blood, alleviating stress on your heart. In a recent study, it was found that the risks of heart disease drop by about 9% for every 7 grams of fiber eaten on a day-to-day basis.
Fiber Boost Gastrointestinal Health
Your body uses fiber to cleanse toxins from your body. Instead of going on a potentially dangerous fasting cleanse, consider amping up your intake of natural fiber. As it makes its way through the gastrointestinal tract, it picks up excess hormones, unhealthy fat, and hazardous compounds. As it is expelled, these toxins are also pushed out of the body. If you’re concerned about your unintended intake of mercury, BPA, and chemical pesticides, increasing your consumption of natural fiber will help flush these substances out of your body.
Lower Risks For Cancer
Researchers are still looking into the exact mechanisms at work in how fiber prevents cancer, but there is evidence that it is effective in preventing certain types of cancer. The risks for breast, colorectal, endometrial, gastrointestinal, and ovarian cancer may all be reduced through a larger intake of fiber. Scientists believe this is partly because it picks up cancerous compounds as it travels throughout the body. Later, those harmful compounds are flushed out of the body. In particular, it was found that eating 10 grams per day helped lower colorectal cancer risks by up to 10%. Breast cancer risks were lowered by 5% in the study. Additionally, fibrous fruits and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants, which are also effective in reducing cancer risks.
While eating healthier is important, you shouldn’t feel pressured to do it all at once. In fact, making several significant changes at once can turn you away from making healthier eating choices. Instead, look for simple ways to replace processed foods with natural options. Switching from refined grains to whole grains and eating fruits instead of sweets can help you get a big start on eating a healthier diet.
