The Amazing Health Benefits of Fiber in Your Diet. Everything From Immunity to Weight Loss.
- Tim Raikonnen
- Oct 29, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 8
Recalling the last time you heard about the importance of fiber in your diet may just feel like years and years ago. After all, there was a time when everyone knew that drinking apple juice and eating blueberries was – well – just healthy. But, somewhere along the way, we forgot why those things were good for us. Now we’re back to talking about diet and what’s healthy for us again and that’s great because, somehow, we need to turn the ship around and get people back into good physical condition. A good diet is part of the puzzle and fiber needs to be a part of this. Fiber is just great for your health and weight loss.
The benefits of fiber go far beyond keeping your guts happy and healthy. In fact, they extend to every organ and system in your body and that is why experts are now advising everyone to increase their intake of this important nutrient, as it can help in everything from health to weight loss.
ImmunityPioneer is supported by its readers. Whilst we do not generally endorse any products or courses, we do provide you with links to various products and websites to give you informed options and choices. Should you choose to make a purchase through one of these links, we may get a small affiliate commission — but it never affects the price you pay and is always at no cost to you. As an 'Amazon Associate' this website also earns from qualifying purchases where relevant. Learn more.
Table of Contents
You probably know that fiber is important for a healthy diet, but do you know why?
High-fiber foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds are packed with antioxidants and vitamins, but you also mustn't forget most herbs and spices. Spices and herbs can also pack quite a punch of fiber, along with all the vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and antioxidants that they also deliver. But fiber also has much more to offer. It helps keep blood sugar stable and your heart happy and also works in other more mysterious ways…
If this all sounds almost too good to be true, let’s take a closer look at why eating more fiber is so good for your health. The benefits of fiber extend way beyond keeping your bowel movements regular! Fiber is actually an essential nutrient that promotes good health in many different ways, for example, it assists with digestion and can help prevent constipation.
Soluble fiber has probably the greatest benefits. Amongst other things, it can help prevent dietary cholesterol from being broken down and absorbed by the gut, and in time, this can help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. It’s a ‘win-win’.
So What Is Fibre and Why Is It Important?
Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods and there are two types — soluble and insoluble.
Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber is found in many types of fruit, berries and beans, vegetables and pulses. Some examples are blueberries, citrus fruits, lentils, oats, barley and rye, along with vegetables such as potatoes and carrots.
As its name suggests, soluble fiber dissolves in water and once in your digestive system it forms a type of gel in your gut. This gel provides many services to your body. In particular, it protects the lining of the bowel and intestines and helps guard against ‘leaky-gut syndrome’. It also prevents some fats from being absorbed and digested by the body and, in this manner, it also helps prevent weight gain. Soluble fiber may also help to lower cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, as well as blood glucose levels. LDL cholesterol can build up on the walls of your blood vessels causing atherosclerosis - “plaque” - in layman’s terms (like plaque on your teeth) and this plaque can lead to serious health issues like heart disease, blocked arteries and stroke. Soluble fiber reduces cholesterol via a very interesting mechanism and this takes place in the small intestine. It is here that the soluble fiber binds to the cholesterol, preventing it from entering the bloodstream and traveling to other parts of your body. Instead, the cholesterol is forced to exit from your rear end and thereby saves your body from this potentially detrimental effect on your health. It really should be noted here, though, that eating soluble fiber alone is insufficient to adequately reduce your cholesterol levels.
Insoluble Fiber
On the other hand, insoluble fiber is found in whole grains such as wheat, bran, nuts and seeds and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. This type of fiber works differently. It cannot be broken down by our bodies and simply passes through, but it also helps the passage of other foods in the digestive tract and keeps everything running smoothly. Research has shown that the action of fiber, in this manner, helps promote a healthy digestive system.
Both types of fiber are good for you and research shows that eating more fiber can decrease your risk of heart disease, by lowering your blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Fiber can also help regulate blood sugar levels, which is great news for people with diabetes and insulin resistance and, even more good news, new studies also point to fiber being a positive factor in the prevention of certain types of cancer. The benefits of fiber are almost seemingly endless, helping in everything from health and immunity to weight loss.
Resistant Starch
Finally, we need to look at ‘resistant starch’, which is also a sub-type of dietary fiber. It has only recently been included in the definition of ‘dietary fiber’ and has also been proven to have significant health benefits. Potatoes, bananas, grains and beans contain resistant starch and it can be created when some foods are cooked and then allowed to cool, for example, potatoes and rice. Resistant starch can’t be digested, but it does ferment in the lower intestines. The fermentation process produces short-chain fatty acids, which also benefit your gut and makes for a healthy digestive system. Have a look at what Joe Cohen from ‘Selfhacked’ thinks about resistant starch and its great benefits in his article: ‘This one supplement is proven to outperform Ozempic’
So - now you know why fiber is so important! In fact, a high-fiber diet is one of the best things you can do for your overall health, so now let’s summarize the most compelling benefits:
7 Amazing Benefits of a High-Fiber Diet. Everything From Health to Weight Loss.
1. It's Good for Your Heart.
High-fiber diets are associated with lower rates of cardiovascular diseases [i], heart attacks and strokes. This is because fiber is able to help lower blood sugar, blood cholesterol, and blood pressure.
2. It Helps You Lose Weight.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body can’t deal with or digest. It passes through your intestines and bowels relatively intact (depending on the type), but does a lot of good along the way! Fiber can also fill you up in a more calorie-efficient manner and this means that you may feel like you’ve eaten more than you actually have!
3. It Helps to Control Your Blood Sugar.
Studies have shown that eating a high-fiber diet can help to lower blood sugar. This is because fiber slows down the rate at which your body absorbs glucose and the regulation of blood sugar levels is, of course, highly significant in the management of diabetes.
4. It can Reduce Constipation.
Eating more fiber can help keep you regular, which is something that most people who suffer from constipation can appreciate!
5. It can Help to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes.
Research has shown that increasing your fiber intake by 10 grams per day can help to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 7%.
6. It can Reduce Your Risk of Certain Cancers
Studies suggest that eating more fiber may help to reduce your risk of certain cancers, including colorectal cancer and breast cancer.
7. It can improve Irritable Bowel Syndrome [IBS] symptoms.
Some types of fibre, particularly psyllium (a soluble fiber) can reduce the symptoms of IBS [ii] in some patients.
Well, that sums up the amazing benefits of getting more fiber into your diet and now for the big question:
Are You Getting Enough Fiber in Your Diet?
The estimation is that most adults across the US and Europe are only eating an average of about 20g of fiber per day. UK government guidelines say dietary fiber intake should be 30g a day, as part of a healthy balanced diet[iii]. The Mayo Clinic suggests: “Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day”[iv]
If you’re not reaching these targets, then it might be time to revise your eating habits!
How to Get More Fibre in Your Diet
You can increase the fiber content of your diet in several ways:
Increase Your Vegetable Intake. Vegetables are a great source of fiber, so include as many different types as you can.
Choose whole grains and whole wheats as often as possible over other food choices and choose whole grains instead of refined grains whenever you can. Whole grains contain much more fiber than their refined grain counterparts.
Eat more fruit. Fruits are full of fiber and antioxidants, so they are a great choice.
Eat more nuts and seeds. Not only are nuts and seeds delicious, they’re also packed with fiber. The same can be said for most legumes, since they consist of both vegetables and pulses.
Experiment with new and different recipes. If you get bored with eating the same things, try experimenting. Cooking with more fresh ingredients will also help you to increase your fiber intake.
Take a fibre supplement. If you’re having trouble getting enough fiber in your diet, you can take a fibre supplement. While fiber supplements have their place and some can play an effective role in reducing your cholesterol levels, not all are equal and they are not a substitute for a healthy diet.
The most important thing is to get plenty of fibre from as many sources as possible. This aligns very well with the 5-a-day recommendations for a healthy diet that fits with the ideals of the Mediterranean diet (link to own web page)- probably the most healthy diet in the world!
The Bottom Line
For most people, eating a high-fiber diet is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Eating a high-fiber diet can also help you to lose weight and feel fuller faster, while lowering your cholesterol and keeping your blood sugar steady.
For best results, try to get at least 30 grams of fiber per day. Remember, you’ll get the most benefits from fiber if you don’t pair it with a high-fat diet. Instead, pair it with foods that are high in protein and lower in fat.
Now you know why fibre is so important!
If you're interested in taking a supplement, these can be helpful in increasing your fiber intake, but only alongside naturally fibrous foods. At Immunity Pioneer we only recommend supplements that we use ourselves and trust. We'd never recommend anything that we considered to be of poor quality or because we were paid to promote it. If you're interested in looking at some fibre supplements, you can find a review here.
[i] https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/effect-of-oat-glucan-on-ldlcholesterol-nonhdlcholesterol-and-apob-for-cvd-risk-reduction-a-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis-of-randomisedcontrolled-trials/60A75CB215602240E9363D49DCB690ED
[ii] El-Salhy, M., Ystad, S. O., Mazzawi, T., & Gundersen, D. (2017). Dietary fiber in irritable bowel syndrome (Review). International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 40(3), 607-613. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2017.3072
[iii] https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/#:~:text=Government%20guidelines%20say%20our%20dietary,ways%20of%20increasing%20our%20intake
Comments