It has been found that a high fiber intake is very important for human beings. The reason behind fiber intake importance is that it is one of the main reasons due to which the human body digests food easily and maintains the right balance between the nutrients and the calories. The consumption of too much junk food will increase the level of cholesterol in your body. The bad news is that the intake of fiber is directly proportional to the level of bad cholesterol in the body.1
The fiber intake of each individual varies from person to person, but it is important to know that increasing the fiber intake is very much possible when you make some changes to your lifestyle. These changes include losing weight if you are overweight, increasing the level of physical activity, reducing the intake of tea, coffee, alcohol, and smoking.2 Apart from all this you should also take the help of a dietician and eat only such foods which are rich in fiber. In addition to this, you should also try and get the right amount of rest at night. These are some of the important tips for fiber intake.
When we talk about fiber importance, we cannot overlook the fact that it is one of the most important ingredients of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables consist of a large number of fibers and you can derive a lot of benefits from these if you consume them in the right proportion. So it is always advisable to follow a proper diet chart and take the right amount of fiber at appropriate times of the day.
Importance of Fiber for Daily Living
What does fiber do in your body? The fiber has the importance of maintaining your healthy gastrointestinal tract and also prevents constipation which will eventually lead to bloating. It helps you eliminate waste and toxins out of your body that helps you maintain healthy body weight and also keeps you away from various kinds of cancer. If you are suffering from constipation, it is recommended that you should add high fiber foods to your daily diet as it helps you to remove constipation from your body.
Another thing that fiber helps with is keeping your digestive tract clean. It also keeps your colon clean and free from toxins. If there is any kind of constipation in your body, this means that your colon is clogged which causes constipation. Fiber acts as a cleanser and cleanses out all the toxic elements that are present in the colon and intestines. Therefore by adding more fiber to your daily diet you can also keep yourself clean and healthy.
One of the main reasons why we become constipated is due to the unhealthy food choices that we make. We often eat foods that are not good for us such as junk foods, processed foods, and even fast food. It is highly recommended that if you want to know what fiber does to your body, you should start making healthier choices when it comes to your daily food consumption. Instead of eating junk foods, eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables which are a better choice than their processed counterparts.
The Benefits of Fiber For Kids
The benefits of fiber for kids range from a lower risk of common childhood diseases to more regular and healthy digestion. Starting your child off on a high fiber diet puts a good track for a lifelong lifestyle of healthier choices.3 However, if your kid isn’t the conventional type to embrace veggies and fruits, offering him or her fiber-rich food can be tough going. Fortunately, the benefits of fiber for kids come in the form of tasty, easy to digest foods that are good for kids.4
- Fruits are a great source of dietary fiber for kids. Kids who eat fruits regularly develop softer stools and produce fewer gas and bloating problems. Some fruits to consider are apples, bananas, kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, and grapes.
- Oatmeal is one of the best sources of fiber for kids. Try roasting an apple over a low fire or baking a banana into a pie to get rich, complex carbs that satisfy hunger and boost energy levels. Other great options include rolled oats, barley, and bran cereals.5
As far as fiber intake goes, there are many ways to help meet the recommended daily allowance.6 However, if your kids don’t like one of the above choices, there are still plenty of fruits, vegetables, and legumes to choose from to provide them with the vitamins, minerals, and fiber they need. And don’t forget to talk to your child about his or her preferences for the foods you serve him or her. Kids love to learn new things and you never know what might appeal to them.
What is the Average Fiber Intake for Kids?
How much do you know about fiber intake for kids? You probably have heard that there is a recommended daily amount of fiber for kids but you aren’t exactly sure what that number is. The truth is that fiber intake for kids varies depending on many factors and each child’s body will respond in a different way to different fiber sources so it is best to research all options. For a good rule of thumb, the recommended fiber intake for kids is roughly 4 grams per day for a child ages three to ten years old and a little less for older children.
Since most fiber comes from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, kids’ fiber intake is usually highest in the form of fruits and vegetables and whole grains. In addition to fruits and vegetables, fiber can also be found in beans, potatoes, rice, and even oatmeal. Other sources of fiber include nuts, whole grains, and bran cereals.
While it is always best to check with your pediatrician to make sure your child has the right amount of fiber in his or her diet, there are some things you can do to make sure that kids don’t go without fiber. The first thing you need to do is to choose foods that are high in fiber instead of foods that are high in refined sugars and starches. Some great choices are 100% wheat bread, whole grain pasta and cereals, fresh and juice-flavored yogurt, and other high-fiber yogurts. Another great option is to buy fiber supplements to ensure your child gets the daily amounts of fiber he or she needs.7 There are many kids fiber intake for kids options to choose from and they are becoming more popular as parents realize that they can help their kids enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
Dangers of Eating Too Much Fiber – Find Out What They Are
There are many benefits of fiber in our diets, and they include strengthening of the immune system, lowering of cholesterol, and lowering of blood pressure. They also help us avoid or minimize diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. So if you need some good news, here it is.
Eating too many vegetables can actually make us gain unnecessary weight. The reason for this is that vegetables contain fiber and when eaten in excess, fiber gets converted into sugar in the body. Over time, this sugar builds up in the arteries leading to heart disease. This is because vegetables are rich in complex carbohydrates and it is these carbohydrates that get broken down into sugar in the body.
This is not the only danger of eating too much fiber because there are also other problems that are associated with it such as constipation, bloating, and gas.
High blood pressure is a condition in which there is an increased flow of blood in the arteries leading from the heart to various organs. Because the arteries are clogged by this increased flow of blood, there is a tendency for more plaque to build up in them. The buildup of plaque causes a condition called atherosclerosis, which leads to hardening of the arteries and eventually to heart attack and stroke.8
The presence of plaque in the arteries is one of the biggest reasons why it is important that you try to keep your blood pressure in a normal range. Another fiber danger that you should be aware of is the danger of eating too much fiber if you suffer from constipation.9 This is due to the fact that fiber slows down the absorption of nutrients in the digestive system. When the nutrients are not properly absorbed, you will be forced to eat more than you should in order to compensate for the poor absorption of nutrients. This increased eating will lead to an increase in body fat and, as a result, the chances of developing heart disease are increased. Therefore, it is important that you consult with your doctor before beginning to consume any type of fiber product.10
Image Credits
The Daily Meal / August 6, 2019
Fiber for Kids / 2021
BMC Pediatrics / Nover 18, 2019
SlidetoDoc.com / 2021
1 “Increasing Fiber Intake | Patient Education | UCSF Health.” https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing-fiber-intake Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
2 “Increasing Fiber Intake | Patient Education | UCSF Health.” https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing-fiber-intake Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
3 “Fiber | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public ….” https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/ Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
4 “10 Amazing Health Benefits of Eating More Fiber | EatingWell.” https://www.eatingwell.com/article/287742/10-amazing-health-benefits-of-eating-more-fiber/ Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
5 “Oatmeal: Nutrition, Benefits, Types, Toppings – WebMD.” https://www.webmd.com/diet/oatmeal-benefits Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
6 “Kids & Dietary Fiber – About Kids GI.” https://aboutkidsgi.org/general-treatments/kids-dietary-fiber/ Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
7 “High-fiber foods – Mayo Clinic.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/high-fiber-foods/art-20050948 Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
8 “Too much fiber: Symptoms and treatment – Medical News Today.” 22 Mar. 2018, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321286 Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
9 “How Much Fiber Is Too Much? Effects, Treatment, and More.” https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/too-much-fiber Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
10 “Warning signs of too much fiber and risks of not enough. in Telluride ….” https://telluridelongevityinstitute.org/warning-signs-of-too-much-fiber-and-risks-of-not-enough/ Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.
