What is fiber, and why is it good for you?
By thetis74
@thetis74 (1524)
August 14, 2011 8:28pm CST
You may call it roughage, but by whatever name, fiber is that part of plant food that is indigestible. Fiber includes cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin lignin, mucilage, and gum in vegetables, fruits, and cereals that pass through the digestive tract and into the large intestine unchanged.
If you are on a weight-loos diet, fiber-rich foods fools you into thinking you are eating more than you are, because they are chewy, and you get a full feeling from them. Fiber absorbs fluid and swells in the body, thereby adding bulk to wastes in the intestinal tract, and stimulating the waste of muscular movement that sweep feces out of the body. This is why dietary fiber helps prevent constipation. It also reduces that straining during bowel movements that may cause hemorrhoids.
3 responses
@grobanite (323)
• United States
15 Aug 11
Fiber seems to have a bad reputation (like from commercials, "Cardboard no, delicious yes." As though fiber tastes like cardboard). I LOVE fiber! Whole grain breads and pasta are SO much better tasting than white breads and pasta. I also love adding grounded flaxseed (full of fiber AND omega-3) to some of my meals.
Fiber is not only incredibly healthy and fulfilling but it's quite tasty as well!
1 person likes this
@grobanite (323)
• United States
15 Aug 11
Flaxseed is great! You can't just eat the seeds though, the nutrients are inside so they must be grounded up to get the benefit. Otherwise they will just travel through you... Taste is most important to me, nutrition is close in second. If I don't like the taste, I'm not going to make it part of my daily diet.
@marguicha (230351)
• Chile
15 Aug 11
Fiber not only is good when one is healthy, but can be a very important thing when you are ill. I have been diagnosed with a lymphoma and I´m having chemotherapy. Chemo produces constipatiion. Besides that, it hurts a lot all linings of your digestive system. So, eating enough fiber is basic to be able to have a good quality of life while on chemo.
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
16 Aug 11
Fiber to me are the vegetables and fruits that we should eat daily. In addition, the legumes , oats and whole grains too.
However, when we take them into our body, we should make sure that we also drink lots of water, for them to do their work of eliminating the wastes of our body.
