Not Eating Enough Fiber? This Can Happen to You
By Sara Butler
Though many popular eating plans today emphasize fat or protein, it's important to remember that fiber is a vital part of a healthy diet. If you skip out on fiber, then you are also skipping out on many benefits to your health. That's because foods that contain fiber also contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals your body needs to be healthy. If you don't get enough of it, then certain things can occur. Here's what you need to know.
What Is Fiber?
There are two types of fiber in foods: insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber is what adds bulk to the foods that you eat. It works to help you feel fuller for longer. It also makes it easier for the foods you do to pass from your stomach to your intestines.
Soluble fiber soaks up water in the digestive system and turns into a gel-like substance. This helps to slow down the digestive process and keep your blood sugar under control.
Both types of fiber are critical to your overall health and digestive wellness, so they're equally important to eat enough of.
What Happens If You Don't Eat Enough?
If you don't eat enough fiber, then a few things can happen to your body, such as:
- Problems with digestion - If you're having a difficult time getting the food you eat out, then it may be because you're not eating enough fiber. Fiber makes it easier for the foods you're eating to work their way out of your body, so not getting enough can leave you feeling very uncomfortable.
- Heart health issues - High cholesterol is bad for your heart health but eating enough fiber in your diet can help to keep your cholesterol in check.
- Immune system troubles - Your immune system starts in your gut and if your gut microbiome isn't happy, then your overall immune system can suffer. Eating foods with probiotics in them can help to keep your gut healthy and giving them enough fiber is a good thing too.
- Blood sugar struggles - Eating fiber helps to slow down digestion, which also helps to keep your blood sugar from spiking too quickly. If your blood sugar is too high for too long, then you can develop type 2 diabetes, so make sure to get enough fiber in your diet to help keep your blood sugar stable.
Fiber is important, so make sure you're eating enough of it.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Round Rock, Tex.