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Garden Foods High In Fiber

By: Spencer Hunt

For as many health benefits as there are for adding fiber to the diet, it is interesting to note how little fiber we actually do consume. Actually a lot of people do not think about their daily fiber intake, but this is important for many reasons that will be discussed briefly in this health article. We will also share some tips on how to add more fiber and nutrition to your daily regime.

What does Fiber Do?

Fiber is different from fats, proteins and carbohydrates in that it is not digested by your body. This means that is passes through your stomach and small intestine, going directly into your colon, pretty much unchanged. It decreases your chance of constipation and other intestinal problems. Fiber helps to regulate your body’s process of eliminating solid waste. It is important to drink plenty of water in addition to ensuring adequate fiber intake. Water helps the fiber better do its job.

What are the Benefits of Fiber?

Fiber has been shown to have several substantial health benefits. Soluble fiber can lower blood cholesterol levels. It also slows the body’s absorption of sugar. This means it can help improve the body’s blood sugar levels. Studies have also shown that a diet high in fiber may reduce a person’s risk of developing certain health conditions.

A high fiber diet can also help with weight loss. Foods that are high in fiber make you feel fuller and take longer to chew so your body has time to register as full. High fiber foods also tend to be lower in calories and make you feel full - and make you STAY feeling full.

How Much Fiber do You Need?

It is recommended that women eat 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day and that men take in 30 to 38 grams a day. It is not difficult to get this much fiber from your nutritional regime - as long as you are eating a balanced, healthy diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables offer a great deal of fiber, as well as whole grains. Read nutrition labels to find the foods that give you the greatest amount of fiber.

What Foods are Most Fiber Rich?

Beans are, hands down, the most fiber rich. One cup of lentils packs a whopping 15.6 grams of fiber! Fruits and vegetables also offer a great deal of fiber. Pears, figs, blueberries, apples and strawberries are some of the fruit power players in the fiber game. For vegetables, look to peas, artichokes, Brussels sprouts and mustard greens. In the grains, cereals and pasta group, opt for whole-wheat spaghetti, bran flakes, oatmeal and rye bread.

Make a conscious effort to increase the fiber in your diet. Read labels and make healthy food choices, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Balance your diet by incorporating foods from each of the food groups and drinking plenty of water. Adding more fiber to your daily regime may help you improve your overall long term health, maintain an ideal body weight and regulate your body's waste elimination.

You also need to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Many of our main vitamins should be from fruits and vegetables like Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, etc and if we have optimum levels in our systems, our bodies can function much more efficiently. Fruits and veggies contain anti-oxidants that help the skin renew itself. Nutritionists recommend a diet high in fresh vegetables and fruit, whole grains, brown rice, low-fat dairy products, fish and poultry. Some more tasty sources of antioxidants are blueberries, strawberries, and citrus fruits. Other beneficial fruits include peaches, cantaloupe, and apricots.

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Spencer Hunt is a lifetime home gardener and has worked with hundreds of clients to help them improve their health through improved nutrition and adding the very best supplements to their diet. For both animals and humans, he recommends that all of his clients use glyconutritional supplements from the company that discovered the idea of glyconutrient supplementation over a decade ago. Since glyconutrient supplements are natural plant sourced special micronutrients, they are not toxic drugs and therefore have not been evaluated by the FDA. They cannot be said to cure, prevent, treat or mitigate any disease or condition, and since they are not a drug, there is no need to diagnose. In other words, EVERYBODY and anybody can use glyconutrients for improved wellness along with a good diet or garden fresh vegetables and fruits.

Adding fiber to your diet may be one of the components that you need to improved health and wellness. Start your own garden.

Spencer Hunt is a glyconutrients distributor who helps people to have more energy and live a better quality of life through glyconutrients.

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