Fiber is defined as a type of carbohydrate that can’t be digested by your body. It can be found in plants, from foods like fruits, vegetables and grains. Fiber isn’t just for your grandma, and it’s not just helpful for keeping you “regular” either. Even though it isn’t used as energy, it’s often considered one of the most important nutrients for heart health, weight loss, immunity — and can even affect your mood and neurotransmitter levels!
Getting the correct amount of fiber in your diet is important for everything from being in a good mood, to avoiding glucose spikes or high cholesterol. Unfortunately, 95% of people are not eating the recommended amount. Let’s dive into the topic of fiber... what it does, where to get it, and how to make it work for you.
What is Fiber?
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that can’t be digested by your body. While most carbohydrates are broken down by your digestive system into glucose (sugar), the human body lacks the enzymes to break down fiber, so it passes through the body relatively undigested.
Just because the fiber isn’t digested by your body, doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect you or isn’t useful. In fact, increasing the amount of fiber in your diet might be the one of the most important thing you change to improve your health and reduce your risk of developing chronic disease. *
Eating adequate amounts of fiber is associated with...