What is Fiber? If a nutrition scientist had recently invented
fiber, it would be advertised as a miracle
ingredient! Thanks to its capacity for improving
digestive health and fighting chronic disease,
fiber should be trumpeted as a revolutionary
preventive health breakthrough. Fiber can
improve digestive function, help lower heart
disease risk, help reduce cancer risk, and help
you lose weight. Nearly every poorly functioning
digestive tract will benefit from an increase in
fiber. We now know that once fiber enters the
digestive tract, it interacts with the other foods
and substances you consume. Toxins you
ingest that might otherwise be absorbed are
ushered out of the body. Cholesterol that could
potentially block arteries is eliminated through
various mechanisms. In addition, the beneficial
bacteria (probiotics) living in your digestive
system which boost your immunity, feast on fiber
and multiply to your benefit.
Ironically, our increasing knowledge about the
importance of fiber arrives at the same time as
our national diet seems to focus more and more
on processed foods that lack the fiber we need.
Luckily, catching up on your fiber requirement
is easy. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
with whole sprouted grains; and choose fiber
supplements that contain the right balance
between insoluble and soluble fiber (the natural
balance), and you will instantly be living a highfiber
lifestyle.
How Much Fiber Should You Take?
25 or more grams per day. Yet while experts
recommend 25-35 grams of fiber per day,
most Americans consume only 10-12 grams.
Getting your daily 25-35 grams of fiber per
day is one of the best ways to promote
health and regularity, and even maintain ideal
weight.That’s equivalent to up to 15 servings
of fruits, vegetables or grains. If you don’t
eat that many servings, make sure you take
a fiber supplement every day to make up
for the shortfall. Choose a fiber supplement
that is naturally balanced, which means it is
formulated with the same insoluble (75%) to
soluble (25%) ratio that fruits and vegetables
typically provide.
Choosing The Right Fiber Supplement: Naturally Balanced Fiber vs. Non Balanced Fiber.
The best way to receive your fiber is the way
nature intended: through your diet. When
you consume the recommended 25-35
grams of fiber per day through a diet rich in
fruits and vegetables, you consume a ratio
of approximately 75% insoluble fiber to 25%
soluble fiber. This is the NATURAL BALANCE
that nature intended. Each type of fiber is
important to your health. Soluble fiber, which
dissolves in water, helps to absorb intestinal
and liver toxins. Insoluble fiber is the roughage
that sweeps the colon free and promotes
regular bowel movements.
When you supplement your diet with a fiber
supplement, it is very important to receive the
natural balance you would receive through
your diet. The easiest way to mimic the natural
balance is by taking a flax-based fiber.
The Right Fiber For You.
Flax provides roughly the same natural
balance (approximately 65-75% insoluble to
25-35% soluble fiber) of fiber found in healthy
diet. Watch out, though, because most fiber
supplements use psyllium which provides the
opposite of the natural balance. When choosing
your fiber supplement, look for a naturallybalanced,
flax-based product.
Organic Fiber vs.
Commercially Grown Fiber.
In all cases, it is better to consume organic
foods. One of the chief benefits of taking
fiber is that it helps remove toxins from the
body. Taking fiber that has been grown with
toxins, like pesticides, is self-defeating. Try to
choose organic fiber sources, whether from
fruits and vegetables, sprouted grains, or fiber
supplements.
Be sure to watch Brenda Watson's H.O.P.E. Formula for Optimum Digestive Care on PBS! Call 1-866-450-8111 for your local showtime!
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