Get Enough Fiber

One of the main problems with most diet plans is that most individuals on diet do not eat enough fiber.
  Fibre is made up of the indigestible parts or compounds of plants, which pass relatively unchanged through our stomach and intestines. Fibre is mainly a carbohydrate. The main role of fibre is to keep the digestive system healthy.
  There are two types of fiber. Water-soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolve in water. They includes beans, bananas, carrots, apple, oats, flaxseeds and citrus fruits. There is also insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve in water. It passes through the gut without being broken down and helps other foods move through the digestive system more easily. Insoluble fibre. They includes wheat bran, rooted vegetables and the skins of fruits.
  Fiber intake is crucial. Fiber and water are necessary to move waste through the colon smoothly and easily to reduce the risk of colorectal diseases like constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, heart disease, hemorrhoids, colon polyps, and even colon cancer.
  Fibre is an important part of a healthy diet. It helps to remove cholesterol from the colon by binding bile acids. For people with diabetes, eating a diet high in fibre slows glucose absorption from the small intestine into the blood. This reduces the possibility of a surge of insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas to stabilise blood glucose levels. It prevents colorectal diseases by speeding transit time in the colon, thus, decreasing the time cancer causing chemicals are in contact with the colon wall, probably decreasing the risk of cancer.
  A high- fibre diet is protective against weight gain. High- fibre foods tend to have a lower energy density, which means they provide fewer kilojoules per gram of food . As a result, a person on a high-fibre diet can consume the same amount of food, but with fewer kilojoules (calories ).
  Fibre is more important for older people. The digestive system slows down with age, so a high-fibre diet becomes even more important.
  Eating a diet low in fibre can contribute to many disorders, including:
Constipation – small, hard and dry faecal matter that is difficult to pass
Hemorrhoids – varicose veins of the anus
Diverticulitis – small hernias of the digestive tract caused by long-term constipation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome – pain, flatulence and bloating of the abdomen
Overweight and Obesity – carrying too much body fat
Coronary Heart Disease – a narrowing of the arteries due to fatty deposits
Diabetes – a condition characterised by too much glucose in the blood
Colon cancer – cancer of the large intestine
  Simple suggestions for increasing your daily fibre intake include:
1. Eat breakfast cereals that contain barley, wheat or oats.
2. Switch to wholemeal or multi grain breads and brown rice.
3. Add an extra vegetable to every evening meal preferably fiber-rich types like greens.
4. Snack on fruit, dried fruit, nuts or wholemeal crackers.
5. Read nutrition labels and choose foods with the highest dietary fiber number.
6. Eat beans and peas frequently because they are filling, fiber-rich and cheap. If canned, wash away excess sodium by rinsing them.
7. Don't peel edible skins from fruits and vegetables. To avoid pesticide residues, wash skin thoroughly before eating.
8. Eat fruits and vegetables rather than drink. When either are processed to make juice, most of the beneficial fiber is left out.
  If you need to increase your fibre intake, it's important that you do so gradually. A sudden increase may make you produce flatulence, leave you feeling bloated and cause stomach cramps.
  It is better to add fibre to the diet from food sources rather than from fibre supplements, as these can aggravate constipation, especially if
you do not increase the amount of water you drink daily.
  Remember, Dietary fibre is found in the indigestible parts of cereals, fruits and vegetables. A diet high in fibre keeps the digestive system healthy. Fiber is activated by water. Whenever you increase your fiber intake, the need for fluids increases.
  Don't forget to drink water thirty minutes before meals or one-half hours after meals.