In today's world, where we don't have enough time to take care of a healthy diet, it is very important to know how to improve your health without much effort. One way to do this is to add more fiber to your daily diet. These substances not only help fight digestive problems and bloating, but also speed up metabolism and cleanse the body of toxins. So how much fiber should you consume per day? What indicates that the body lacks them and what products should be included in your diet in order to ensure a sufficient amount of them?
A lack of fiber can also be a sign of fatigue
Lack of fiber in the diet increases the risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and various digestive disorders. Due to their insufficient amount, constipation and stomach aches can be troublesome. A sudden drop in energy levels, a feeling of fatigue, or even a worsening skin condition can also indicate that you are lacking fiber.
In order not to face these sensations, women are advised to consume 25 and men 38 grams of fiber per day. This is the recommended daily rate, which will help maintain the normal functioning of the digestive tract. This number can be easily achieved by consuming at least two servings of cereal products and the World Health Organization's recommended 400 grams of vegetables and fruits daily. Unfortunately, residents of many European countries, as well as Lithuania, do not reach these recommended standards. Fiber is especially lacking in children's diets, because little ones often do not want to eat vegetables, and it is difficult for them to introduce some fruits.
Helps speed up metabolism
It is important to remember that although fiber is a type of carbohydrate, it is classified as a slow, complex carbohydrate. This means that they not only regulate the concentration of glucose in the blood, but also do not burden the pancreas during digestion. Dietary fibers help ensure a greater feeling of fullness - by absorbing liquids in the stomach, they increase the volume of food, so the feeling of fullness lasts much longer. For this reason, fiber-rich food is extremely relevant for those who are losing weight - fiber improves digestion processes, which speeds up metabolism.
Experts say that in order to consume a sufficient amount of fiber, it is recommended to choose whole grain bread, pasta, flour, semolina and other products. It is important to pay attention to the fact that cereal crops are not broken, they should be cleaned in natural ways. In order to consume more fiber, the diet should be supplemented with various nuts, Spanish sage seeds, flax seeds, legumes such as chickpeas, lentils or beans. Eating apples, raspberries, carrots, avocados, bananas, broccoli, sweet potatoes, peas, and kale will also help increase the amount of fiber in the body.
You can also choose lyophilized products
It's true, even knowing all the recommendations, consuming the required amount of fiber can be difficult. Many of us do not like to experiment in the kitchen and do not know how to include them in our favorite recipes, others do not find time for this, and others simply do not like the taste of vegetables and fruits, which are perhaps the best source of fiber. In such cases, it is recommended to pay attention to lyophilized products, which retain all useful substances during freeze drying. One such is fruttberry, a mixture of lyophilized vegetable, fruit and berry powders, which do not contain any added sugars or preservatives. All their products are marked with the "Keyhole" symbol, which is given to health-friendly products with a lot of dietary fiber. The mixtures can be drunk simply by mixing them with water, pouring them into your favorite cocktail or adding them to your morning porridge.
"Lyophilising is such a preservation method, when during cold drying, after all the water evaporates, the concentration of vitamins and other useful substances in the product increases up to ten times. During lyophilization, all the fibers, antioxidants and other trace elements in the products are preserved. Therefore, it is an ideal way to have a large amount of vitamins in a small portion", says the founder of "fruttberry", Paulina Gruodienė.
Promotes the growth of good bacteria
The consumption of fiber is also very important in order to create a favorable environment for the reproduction of good bacteria. This is especially relevant if you have recently had to take antibiotics - when you drink them, the number of good bacteria in the body decreases significantly, so in order to restore them, it is important to increase the amount of fiber you consume.
Fibers are also very useful for people who do a lot of sports and live in an active rhythm. They are an excellent source of energy, so if you feel a lack of energy, it is recommended to consume food with more fiber. However, it is important to remember that if you have been consuming very little fiber in the past, you should increase it gradually. A sudden influx of these substances can cause bloating or other unpleasant sensations in some people. For this reason, it is very important to allow the body to get used to the higher amount of fiber by increasing it little by little.