What is fiber?

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Fiber is one of the main reasons whole plant foods are good for you. Growing evidence shows that adequate fiber intake may benefit your digestion and reduce your risk of chronic disease.

Many of these benefits are mediated by your gut microbiota. The millions of bacteria that live in your digestive system.

Put simply, dietary fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate found in foods ทางเข้า UFABET

It’s split into two broad categories base on its water solubility:

  1. Soluble fiber: dissolves in water and can be metabolized by the “good” bacteria in the gut
  2. Insoluble fiber: does not dissolve in water

Perhaps a more helpful way to categorize is as fermentable versus non-fermentable. Which refers to whether friendly gut bacteria can use it or not.

It’s important to keep in mind that there are many different types. Some of them have important health benefits, while others are mostly useless.

There is also a lot of overlap between soluble and insoluble fibers. Some insoluble can be digested by the good bacteria in the intestine. And most foods contain both soluble and insoluble fibers.

Health authorities recommend that men and women eat 38 and 25 grams of fiber per day, respectively.

Certain types can help you lose weight by reducing your appetite.

In fact, some studies show that increasing dietary can cause weight loss by automatically reducing calorie intake.

Fiber can soak up water in the intestine, slowing the absorption of nutrients and increasing feelings of fullness.

However, this depends on the type. Some types have no effect on weight. While certain soluble fibers can have a significant effect.