Fiber is one of the most underrated nutrients. Since it does not really provide any nutrition to the body; people mostly do not care about consuming. Yes, it is indigestible, and our body can hardly take anything out of it, but once you learn the ill effects of not consuming fiber, you will realize how important it is for our body.
Hungry, always!
When our body lacks fiber, no matter how much cheese loaded pizzas and burgers you consume, you will always be hungry after a little while. This is because when the food lacks fiber in it, the digestion gets inefficient and faster thus giving you the rumbles in your stomach. Thus, increase the fiber intake so that the metabolism slows down and you stay fuller for a longer period.
Hard times in the bathroom
When you consume fiber, you allow the water to stay in your stool which makes easier for your intestine and the rest of you in the bathroom. When the fiber is absent in the system, the digestive system slows down, and it gets harder to excrete out the waste. Thus, consume fiber if you want everything to go smooth and comfortable in the bathroom.
Weight Gain Worries
Without fiber, we are always craving food, and when we crave, we eat recklessly. Where do all the impulsive snacks go? On your tummy and your bottom. When you have fiber in your food, you eat less and process more thus protecting you from overeating and gaining weight.
Growing Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol is one thing that is highly dangerous for you. It is so dangerous that high levels of it in the bloodstream can prove to be fatal as well. The fiber present in the body helps in removing the negative effects of bad cholesterol (or plaque) that gets accumulated in the arteries. This plaque is responsible for several heart-related diseases including heart attacks.
Increased Risk of Strokes
Another heart disease that is linked with cholesterol is that of stroke. When the levels of LDL increase in the bloodstream either because of the low fiber intake or some other reason, the plaque starts accumulating the oxygen-rich blood carrying arteries. When the formation of plaque reaches a dangerous level, the risk of having stroke increases by several folds.
Deficiency of Nutrients
The fact that your body lacks fiber, also proves that you probably lack many other essential nutrients as well. The most common foods that we consume on a daily basis like fruits and vegetables, all of them have a certain quantity of soluble or insoluble fiber in it. The deficiency of fiber clearly indicates that the food you are eating is not healthy and lacks other nutrients as well.
You May End Up with Diabetes
Fiber not only helps in maintaining a level of cholesterol, but it also helps in absorption of sugar and thus keeps a check on blood sugar. Fiber also prevents insulin to shoot up. Thus, it suppresses every possible reason of having type 2 diabetes.
Sleepy Head
With lower fiber intake and increasing sugar level, your body gets lazy, and you feel lethargic all the time. Even if you consume a lot of fiber, the condition with sleepiness hardly improves. To keep your blood sugar level low and energy high through the day, you have to intake enough fiber content in the meals you eat.
Now, that we know about the ill effects of not including fiber in your diet, here are a few things you can start eating increase the intake of fiber.
Whole Grain
If you are fond of eating white bread, then switch it with a fiber-rich whole grain bread. Grains have a high quantity of fiber and can help you recover with the deficiency of fiber quickly.
Eat Lots of Fruits and Vegetables
Doctors recommend consuming around 32 grams of fiber every day. If you have a hard time in keeping the count of the fiber intake, simply eat a lot of fruits and vegetables with your meals. Both fruits, as well as vegetables, are rich sources of fiber and with them on your side, the content of fiber in your body can never fall.
Go for Smoothies and not Juices
Juices have the fruit in them, but they do not have the fiber. All they have are carbs and sugar. Whereas a smoothie makes use of all parts of the food from skin to the seed. Thus preserving the fibers in it which finally help you in many ways.
Fiber is as important as any other nutrient. The only fact that it does not break down does not make it an extra or a not-so-important nutrient. The faster you accept this fact, the faster you will be on the road to recovery.
