Eat plenty of fiber for a long life!

Read on to know how including a good quantity of fiber improves your life span!

Eating cautiously and healthily is an easy task if you practice it regularly. Most of the people focus only on the number of calories, fats, carbs, and proteins being consumed. But, there is one more important nutrient that each one of us should categorically include in our diet to stay healthy, it is dietary fiber.

There are several studies to support the role of fiber in maintaining one’s health. Women are advised to eat about 25g of fiber and men about 38g of fiber in their daily diet. Consuming adequate quantity of fiber is associated with a lower risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and food allergies. Even after such extensive research data, many adults manage to eat only half of its daily recommended intake.

In some studies, eating a high-fiber diet is linked to a healthy and long life. People of many ethnicities who ate a high-fiber diet have been found to have a long life and better immunity compared to those who did not. Scientists studied it further and found that gut microbes fed on the fiber to increase in number and kind. A high microorganism count in our intestine resulted in thicker mucus wall and a stronger barrier between the bacteria and our body. Mucus barrier also helps to lower the inflammation in our body and good gut bacteria improves digestion.

Some quick ways to meet the daily fiber requirements are:

Fruits and veggies

It is vital to have some kind of fruit or vegetable source, or both, in each meal.

Eat seasonal food

Seasonal foods are loaded with all kind of nutrients that can help you to get through that phase of the year. So, pick less expensive and fresh in-season grocery to stay healthy.

Less processed

Almost all processed foods are deprived of fiber so it is best to eliminate or restrict the consumption of processed foods.

Pick wisely at restaurants

Most of the fast-food chains skip adding fruits and veggies to their preparations as these are expensive food groups.

Pick sides well

You must add a high fiber side to each meal to balance or increase its total fiber content.

Eat variety

Not only fruits and vegetables, lentils are also a good source of fiber.

Break-fast well

Traditionally, breakfast foods lack fiber. So, it is important to pick and add plenty of high fiber foods to your diet by including oatmeal, fruits, steamed or stir-fried veggies, and whole-grain cereals to your meal.

Explore whole grains

There is a variety of whole grains available at grocery stores such as bulgur, amaranth, pearl barley, quinoa, wheat berries, etc. So, include a variety of these grains in your menu regularly.