The growing health awareness has encouraged many people become more conscious of eating a high fiber diet, due to the various health benefits it provides to the body. According to the American Dietetic Association, the typical American consumes only 11 grams of fiber a day. Whereas, a person should eat at least 20-30 grams of fiber a day. Here are some of the health benefits of fiber food in a diet:

• Prevents constipation and improves digestive system.
• Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• Decrease the risk of heart attacks.
• Helps in loosing weight.
• Prevent or treat intestinal diseases and cancers.
• Help in diabetes treatment.
• Plays an important role in natural colon cleansing by removing toxic materials.
• Stimulates immune responses.
• Improved absorption of calcium, magnesium and iron.

Fibers are easily available, as many foods contain abundance of fiber. There are mainly two forms of fibers such as soluble and non-soluble. Both are equally important and play different roles in promoting health.

Soluble fibers are known to form gel-like substances in the intestine, which are helpful in preventing and treating heart diseases and in controlling diabetes. Some of the food products that contains soluble fiber are oats, barley, grams, lentils, carrots, green peas, cauliflower, and pears.

Non-soluble fibers, on the other hand, add bulk to the stool and speed elimination. They are known to help prevent and/or treat intestinal disorders and possibly cancers of the colon, breast, ovaries. Some of the good sources of non-soluble fibers are wheat, whole wheat breads, beans, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

Therefore, one of the crucial steps towards a healthier lifestyle is including more fiber in your diet. There are many ways to creatively include this nutrient in diet from oatmeal to berries.