Fiber is an essential element of our diet. Although it is not digested and does not provide any nutrients, it significantly affects our health. With this article, you find out why fiber is so beneficial for us, how much dietary fiber you need and what products contain it.

Why should you eat fiber?

Fiber is responsible for the proper functioning of the intestines. It improves their work, so if you have some problems like constipation, diarrhea or pain associated with hemorrhoids, you should eat many products rich in fiber. What's more, fiber can help to lose the body weight because it has the ability to absorb large amounts of water. As a consequence, it swells, filling the stomach, so we feel full for longer time. In addition, it reduces the absorption of cholesterol. Fiber has a consistency that is able to catch and remove bile acids from the intestines which are used by the liver to produce dangerous cholesterol. As a result, if these acids are removed, the cholesterol level also decreases. Remember that too high cholesterol level can lead to atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, fiber is also responsible for stabilizing the level of glucose in blood and reducing the risk of cancer, especially stomach cancer and breast cancer, as it gets rid of toxins, heavy metals and carcinogens.

How much fiber do you need every day?

According to the report of the World Health Organization (WHO), the appropriate dose of fiber is from 20 to 40g a day. Remember that you should not eat fiber in too large quantities, as it may hinder the absorption of vitamins and minerals, and consequently lead to the occurrence of anemia and avitaminosis.

Which products are rich in fiber?

There is a long list of the high-fiber products. There are so many of them that we can eat varied meals rich in fiber every day. The fiber-rich products are for instance, graham bread, pumpernickel bread, rye flakes, muesli with raisins and nuts, wheat bran, pearl barley, brown rice, d