Fiber is such an important part of a healthy diet. Learn how much fiber to eat, why it’s so good for you, some examples of delicious high-fiber foods and suggestions on how to add more fiber to your diet. Get smarter and healthier today! To subscribe for more go to https://ow.ly/SpX09

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Transcript:

You’ve probably heard that fiber is really good for you—today we’re going to talk about what fiber is, how much of it you should eat, and how to get more of it in your diet. Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods which means it isn’t absorbed by your body. It’s a type of carbohydrate although it doesn’t raise your blood glucose levels. Some types of fiber can help you feel full while others have more of a laxative effect on your system.

Fiber really does have some amazing health benefits. A diet high in fiber and whole grains has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease, improve digestive health, help with weight control and may help reduce your chance of some types of cancer. Soluble fiber, is especially helpful in lowering LDL cholesterol. Beans, oats, flaxseed, oranges, Brussel sprouts, and psyllium (which is found in Metamucil and other products) are all high in soluble fiber. Eating very large amounts of fiber has been shown to improve blood glucose levels, cholesterol and even insulin levels in your body.

So here’s what you need to know about fiber: A general guideline is to eat at least 20-35 grams of fiber a day, although some experts do recommend eating up to 50 grams if you have type 2 diabetes and need to lose weight. Check for fiber on food labels, especially breads and cereals. Surprisingly, some “whole grain” products have very little fiber. If you don’t eat a lot of fiber now, increase the amount of fiber you eat gradually to give your digestive system time to adjust.

Foods with the largest quantities of fiber include nuts, fruits and vegetables, beans, lentils and whole grains. Meats have no fiber, and processed foods often have very little, if any fiber. Raspberries, white beans, almonds, spinach, barley and artichokes are all examples of delicious, high-fiber foods.

And that’s what you need to know about fiber and diabetes… thanks for watching.

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