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Benefits Of Fibre-Rich Foods: A healthy diet comprises foods that are abundant in various essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein, healthy fats, potassium, magnesium and many others. Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t digest. Though most carbohydrates are broken down into sugar molecules called glucose, fibre cannot be broken down into sugar molecules, and instead it passes through the body undigested. Fibre helps regulate the body’s use of sugars, helping to keep hunger and blood sugar in check, states Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

Watch the video below to know about the best fibre sources: 

Benefits Of Fibre-Rich Foods

1. Bowel Movements

The Mayo Clinic states that dietary fibre increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fibre may help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to the stool.

2. Lowers Cholesterol Levels

Soluble fibre found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels. Studies also have shown that high-fibre foods may have other heart-health benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and inflammation, as per Mayo Clinic.

3. Manages Blood Sugar Levels

In people with diabetes, Mayo Clinic states that fibre, particularly soluble fibre, can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood sugar levels. A healthy diet that includes insoluble fibre may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

4. Healthy Weight

Consuming a diet rich in fibre foods helps in promoting feelings of fullness and prevents hunger. According to the Mayo Clinic, high-fibre foods tend to be more filling than low-fibre foods, so you're likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer. And high-fibre foods tend to take longer to eat and to be less energy dense, which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.

5. Heart Health

Fibre appears to lower the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, and constipation. Fibre’s beneficial role in the gut microbiome may produce anti-inflammatory effects that alleviate the chronic inflammation associated with these conditions, as per Harvard University.

How Much Fibre Does An Individual Need?

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), most of us need to eat more fibre and have fewer added sugars in our diet. Eating plenty of fibre is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Children and adults need at least 25 to 35 grams of fibre per day for good health.

 

(Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.)