Regular fiber consumption is well known for keeping you, well...regular.
Fiber has many benefits beyond just keeping things moving right along in your digestive tract, and since this is Fiber Focus Month, I'd like to highlight a few for you.
Fiber can curb appetite and aid in weight control by delaying digestion and creating a feeling of fullness. If you are looking to better control your blood sugars, choose foods with fiber as they more slowly releases sugars to your blood due to the delayed digestion. It can also actively lower cholesterol levels and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease by also improving overall serum lipid levels, reducing indicators of inflammation, and lowering blood pressure. Additionally, fiber also promotes overall gastrointestinal (GI) health and aid in management of GI diseases.
Check out one of my previous blog posts to learn more about the benefits of fiber: Healthy High Fiber Products
And these are links to more great information on fiber:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/fiber/art-20043983
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fiber-full-story/
http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/feeding/fiber.html
Reference:
Position of the American Dietetic Association: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108:1716-1731.
