“Middle Age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, and not the toy.”
-Author Unknown
What if I told you that there was this really cool macronutrient that is known to help us lose weight, keep our hearts healthy, and supports the prevention of cancer? Well my friends, there is! Meet fiber, your new BFF in your quest for a healthier and happier you! Although the high fiber cereals don’t usually come with hologram stickers or action figures, they are full of bodily benefits that should still help you smile.
Where does fiber come from? It is found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Fiber is a macronutrient, a complex carbohydrate with a unique rectangular structure. This structure renders it not easily digestible by our intestines because these enzymes require an “open” structure to get in and do their work. Despite all of the great benefits fiber offers, most of us don’t consume the recommended dietary allowance.
There are 2 types of fiber:
Insoluble Fiber: Found in the outermost structural parts of plants including the skin and seeds. This type does not dissolve in water and remains mostly whole as it passes through the digestive tract. Examples include: Whole-grain wheat, celery, seeds, brown rice, apple peels, and quinoa.
Soluble Fiber: This is found inside the actual plant cells. When combined with water, this type of fiber does dissolve and turns into a gel which slowly moves through the digestive tract. Examples include: Oatmeal, beans, apples, pears, and certain vegetables such as sweet potatoes and artichokes.
Both insoluble and soluble fiber share many health-related benefits although some are attributed more to a specific type.
Fact 1: Fiber helps promote weight-loss (Soluble and Insoluble): When you look at how fiber helps us feel full, it is strikingly similar to how the newest popular weight-loss drugs work. Some research has suggested that fiber helps decrease ghrelin, which is our bodies “I’m hungry” signal in our brains. Ghrelin, a unique 28-amino-acid peptide, was the first identified circulating hunger hormone. Other studies also support that fiber may help increase hormones which make you feel full, including the ever so popular GLP1 molecule which is the target of many weight-loss medications.
Fact 2: Fiber assists with blood glucose regulation (Soluble): When we slow down the movement of food through the gut, this slows the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates into the blood stream. This results in a decrease in blood sugar spikes and acts as a stabilizer of our bodies glucose release. Fiber can be a great addition for persons living with diabetes to help achieve more consistent blood glucose levels.
Fact 3: Fiber aids in the digestive process (Soluble and Insoluble): There are 2 important ways in which fiber helps with our digestion. First, it adds bulk to the stool making it easier to pass which can help regulate bowels and minimize constipation. Secondly, fiber assists with the detoxification process by removing bad bacteria and other build up which essentially helps “sweep out” our digestive tract of unwanted buddies.
Fact 4: Fiber supports cancer prevention (Soluble and Insoluble): This is one of my favorite facts about fiber. The fact that this powerful molecule, readily available in nature, can help us prevent cancer fascinates me. Fiber has been found to bind to harmful chemicals and toxins in the body and help expel them from the body. It helps feed the good bacteria which converts fiber into short chained amino acids that in turn decrease the ability of intestinal cells to become cancerous. This plays an important role in the prevention of colorectal cancers. There has also been research suggesting that fiber can help decrease the risk of breast cancer by controlling blood glucose levels and decreasing estrogen levels. Last but not least, fiber’s role in assisting with weight loss also aids in the prevention of the 13 cancers associated with being overweight or obese, which include colon and rectal cancer, breast cancer (in women who have under gone menopause), upper stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer. The full list can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/risk-factors/obesity.html
Fact 5 : Fiber helps create happy hearts (Soluble): Fiber can decrease LDL cholesterol which is also known as our ‘bad” cholesterol. The gel, that is produced when soluble fiber dissolves, helps prevent cholesterol in our diet from being absorbed into the blood stream by increasing its’ excretion. Too much LDL creates the buildup of cholesterol and deposition of harmful plaques in the hearts blood vessels which increases your chances of cardiovascular disease.
Download the Soluble Fiber Guide from the National Lipid Association: https://www.lipid.org/sites/default/files/adding_soluble_fiber_final_0.pdf
From fueling your weight loss efforts, to helping prevent various forms of cancer, fiber may just be your new best friend in your quest for a happier and healthier you!
Some important take-away tips:
Start low and go slow!! Too much fiber at one time can leave you feeling bloated and gassy.
Hydrate: It is important to add in extra water each day when increasing your fiber intake.
USDA’s recommended dietary guidelines for fiber intake in adults are as follows: Women under 50: 25-28 grams/day, Women 51 and older: 22 grams/day, Men under 50: 31-34 grams/day, Men 51 and older: 28 grams/day.
Fuel your PFF (Positive Feedback Frenzy): Try this fun way to remind yourself about incorporating fiber into your daily route: Pick your favorite fiber rich cereal, a plastic storage container, and create your own fancy fiber ensemble! Glam it up with heart stickers, sprinkle with sparkles, or whatever your little heart desires to help put the spotlight on this healthy addition to your life. This would be a cool time to get your kiddos involved as well and can help launch your promotion of a happy and healthy home with your loved ones. Check out Consumer Guides 2022 Best Breakfast Cereal Report which includes the fiber and nutritional content breakdowns: https://www.consumerreports.org/cereals/best-breakfast-cereals-from-consumer-reports-tests/
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