Benefits of Fiber
You’ve probably heard it over and again that fiber is good for you and you should include more fiber in your diet! But what is fiber? Fiber is essentially a carbohydrate. It’s made up of chains of glucose (sugar) connected in a particular way that cannot be digested nor absorbed by the human gut or enzymes. Fiber serves as a structural component of plants, similar to the bones we have in our bodies. So then why eat something that you cannot digest? Even though we don’t digest and absorb fibers, they still offer many health benefits. Fibers help to bulk up foods to increase their volume and help with the feeling of fullness, referred to as satiety and also slows digestion to keep you feeling full longer ( 2 ). Diets rich in fiber have also proven to help manage cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity and decrease risk of colorectal cancers ( 1 ). While we don’t digest fibers, research has shown a fiber rich diet helps to promote activity and growth of healthy gut microflor...