Fiber is a major buzzword these days! Fiber is beneficial for gut health, digestion, and longevity. Keep reading to understand why it is so important to consume and how you can easily add it to your day!

What exactly is Fiber?

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is not digestible. It is found only in plant-based sources. When we eat fiber, it runs through our digestive tract without breaking down. Therefore, it does not provide us with nutrients, but can benefit our health in many ways. As it travels through our GI tract, it attracts water, toxins, and cholesterol and helps bring them out of the body.

What are the types of fiber?

Soluble fiber forms a gel in the body. This gel helps to soften your stool and make it easier to go to the bathroom, but also helps with diarrhea. Soluble fiber is best known for its ability to balance blood sugar and lower cholesterol levels.

Insoluble fiber is the “bulking” or “rough” fiber. It helps to prevent constipation and maintains its shape in the body instead of turning into a gel.

Both types of fiber help to feed our gut microbiome and promote health. They aid in weight maintenance by slowing digestion and signaling satiety hormones to tell the body when we are full.

Benefits of Fiber

Fiber has many known benefits already, but new research is showing us just how much more there is we can learn about this powerful carb. One of the most talked-about benefits of fiber is its help in reducing & balancing blood sugar. Adding fiber to meals slows and supports digestion, slowing the release of carbohydrates and sugar into the bloodstream. This prevents spikes in blood sugar after meals (which has been linked to diabetes, energy crashes, and food cravings shortly after mealtimes) and allows the body to gradually release insulin and promote sustained energy over time.

Fiber is also well known for its ability to lower cholesterol. Cholesterol comes from saturated fats and can be used by the body to produce hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Too much cholesterol, however, is linked to heart disease, obesity, and overall poor heath. The “gel” that is formed when you eat fiber binds and engulfs cholesterol in the intestines, where it prevents it from entering the bloodstream and allows it to be eliminated in our stool.

Most new research on fiber looks into its impact on our gut microbiome. Fiber is the main source of fuel for our gut bacteria! Fiber ferments in the gut and allows our beneficial gut bacteria to produce substances called short-chain fatty acids, which support our intestinal lining and decrease inflammation.

What foods contain the most fiber?

Fiber is a plant-sourced ingredient, found only in carbohydrates, and found in the greatest amount in complex carbohydrates. Most fruits, vegetables, and grains contain a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber.

Soluble fibers are found in:

• Beans

• Cruciferous vegetables

• Apple skin

• Flaxseeds

• Oatmeal

• Sweet Potatoes

• Papaya

Try adding fiber to each meal and snack to help stabilize blood sugar, improve cholesterol, and support healthy digestion! Aim for 25-35g/day and be sure to drink adequate water throughout the day to avoid any negative side effects of too much fiber like bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

Insoluble Fibers are found in:

• Nuts

• Leafy Greens

• Blackberries

• Potatoes

• Bananas

• Quinoa

• Wheat bran