How to include the required amount of fiber in your daily diet to stay healthy

Fiber is one nutrient that is present in all plant products in variable quantities. We all know that fiber is vital for us to stay healthy, but how much of it is required on a daily basis? Read on to know how you can meet the daily nutritional requirements of this important nutrient.

Most of the people are not able to meet their daily requirement of fiber, which severely impacts their health in the long run. To stay healthy, women must consume 25g and men 38g of fiber every day.

You must consume beans of all kind, peas, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, artichoke, barley, whole wheat flour, bran, bulgur, prunes, blackberries, and raspberries at least 2 to 3 times a week to meet your fiber requirements, as these food products are the top source of fiber.

There are two types of fiber and both soluble and insoluble fiber have a different role to play in our body.

Soluble fiber. It dissolves in water and is linked to regulating blood glucose, lowering LDL or “bad” cholesterol, and lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Soluble fiber is found in peas, beans, lentils, oatmeal and oat bran, psyllium, nuts, seeds, pears, apple, blueberries, and strawberries.

Insoluble fiber. It does not dissolve in water and helps in keeping the bowel movements regular by preventing constipation and lowering the risk of diverticular disease. Insoluble fiber is found in barley, brown rice, whole grains, wheat bran, couscous, bulgur, nuts, raisins, seeds, cucumber, carrots, celery, zucchini, dark leafy vegetables, green beans, tomatoes, and grapes.

You can also include fiber in your diet by:

Consuming a whole grain cereal for breakfast every day. Eat sufficient quantity of the cereal to meet at least 5g of the daily fiber requirements. Pick the food products which offer a good amount of fiber per serving. For this, you have to read the food labels regularly and any food that provides 5g or more fiber per serving is considered an excellent product. Choose whole wheat bread that gives at least 2 to 3g of fiber in every slice. Whole fruits offer almost twice the amount of fiber as any glass of fresh juice. So, try to munch on fruits rather than gulping down the fruit juice. Include beans in your diet and meals, as much possible. Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines offer more fibrous food preparations. So, experiment with different cuisines. Eat as much raw fruits and vegetables as a snack, instead of processed food preparations.