Benefits of Fiber

By: Shaylyn Tinari, MS, RD, LDN

Let’s be honest, carbohydrates have a bad reputation. The south beach diet, Atkins diet, no-carb, low carb, keto, are just a few to name that put an emphasis around cutting out or limiting carbohydrates. Did you know that there are healthy parts to carbohydrates?

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body does not digest. Sounds weird, right? Typically, carbohydrates are broken down into sugar molecules to be utilized for energy or stored as glycogen in the liver or muscle for later usage. Since fiber cannot be broken down it passes through the body undigested. This is great for several reasons.

Keeps you full and satisfied. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or just maintain your weight, feeling full and satisfied is key! One of the great reasons we eat is to give our bodies energy and satisfy hunger. Not all foods do the latter. Incorporating fiber at each meal can help you cut back on portion sizes and even help those late afternoon cravings!

Regulates blood sugar levels. This is especially helpful for someone who has type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, or is at risk for either. Because our bodies do not digest fiber, fiber can prevent spikes in blood sugar levels. Preventing spikes in blood sugar levels can prevent the sluggishness you may feel after eating a high carb snack or meal without any fiber such as bagels, desserts, pizza, white rice, or white bread.

Lowers blood cholesterol. Believe it or not, only 20% of the cholesterol in your bloodstream comes from the food you eat which means 80% is made by the body. Cholesterol is needed to make hormones and digest fatty foods. When you have high cholesterol levels, you have more cholesterol in your bloodstream than is needed. Having high cholesterol raises your risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death, and a stroke, the fifth leading cause of death. Soluble fiber, one of two types of fiber, can lower cholesterol levels by binding excess cholesterol and excreting it from the body. Yay teamwork!

Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the United States.

Promotes regular bowel movements. Having regular bowel movements prevents constipation. Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the United States. Believe it or not, fiber has been shown to relieve and prevent constipation. Insoluble fiber, the second type of fiber, does not dissolve in water which means it does not change when liquid is added to it. This helps food move through your digestive system, bulk up to form stool, and get excreted from the body.
Reduces your risk for several diseases. High intake of fiber has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, diverticular disease, certain types of cancers, and a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, which includes high blood pressure, high insulin levels, excess weight, high triglycerides, and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.

Now that you know what fiber is and why it is beneficial to your health, let’s discuss where you can find it. Luckily there are many great ways to incorporate fiber into your diet!

Starchy Vegetables
Sweet potato
White potato
Beans including navy beans, white beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, black beans, soybeans and red kidney beans

Whole Grains
High fiber bran cereal
Whole grain pasta
Whole grain bread (i.e. brands to choose Arnold’s 100% whole wheat, Dave’s Killer Bread, Food For Life® Ezekiel Sprouted)
Quinoa
Farro
Oatmeal
High fiber pasta, rice, and mac and cheese (Brand: Banza®)
Popcorn

Vegetables
Artichoke
Carrots
Collard greens
Green peas
Mixed vegetables
Parsnip
Split peas

Fruits
Apple
Avocado
Banana
Blueberry
Cranberry
Orange
Pear
Raspberry

Healthy Fats
Nuts (i.e. pistachios, peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts)
Seeds (i.e. chia, flax, pumpkin, sunflower)

The daily fiber recommendation for women is to consume at least 25g whereas men is 38g. On average adults in the US are consuming about 50% of the recommended fiber needs. Finding it difficult to incorporate more fiber into your diet? Contact the dietitians at Yummy Body Nutrition – we can help!

References:

Marinath J

16:54 19 Mar 20

Being active and eating healthy always made me think that I was eating right and I didn't have a need to ever talk to a nutritionist. Just so my insurance had free nutrition counselling, I thought of consulting one purely for the sake of it. Having zero expectations and thinking that might be my first and only visit, I had my first consultation with Shay after having met her and Ha during my gym event. Oh boy, was I wrong about everything! Shay literally transformed the way I looked at food. She taught me a simple yet the most important thing about reading a product's nutrition label. I knew fats comprised of good and bad but I never cared to go in detail. I used to see just the total fat content in a product, but its the bad fat content breakdown that actually matters. Another huge thing she helped with was figuring out the amount of protein I should take per meal. I worked out regularly and ate right, but I was losing muscle. She sorted this out by suggesting to aim for 28g of protein every meal. And voila, my muscle mass increased by 2.5% in under a month. Shay gave me inputs on various fibrous and protein rich products that are available in the market. Figuring out the amount of macros I need every meal actually changed the way I grocery shopped. This also helps me in not overeating or indulge in excessive or under purchase anything. The reason I would vouch for Yummy Body and Shay is because of their genuine care towards clients. Prior to my second visit, I was impacted by this documentary on Netflix about Veganism and I told Shay about how I want to try it (and I LOVE meat lol). Shay, being a non-meat eater herself, didn't preach me into doing that, but rather was rational in making me realize that every "diet" has its benefits and not everything you see might be true. Its important to experiment, analyze and figure out what works for you and your body. I hate the term diet, as eating is a part of our lifestyle and diet makes it sound like something you do temporarily for a short term gain. Consistency is key and I could resonate that philosophy with Yummy Body. Of course there would be a lot of other authentic nutritionists and I really hope there are. All I would say is, you could never go wrong with Yummy Body and I'm happy that I was wrong and ignorant about nutrition before. Remember, eating should be FUN and not a boring chore. LOVE your food and the rest will follow!

Rachel Young

16:59 13 Mar 20

My experience with Yummy Body Nutrition was outstanding. I met with a registered dietitian named Shay who helped me in more ways than I can write in this post. For years I’ve remained the same weight with no real visible progress. Additionally, within the last year I’ve noticed a significant amount of hair loss. My hair stylist mentioned that it seemed like a problem from “within” and could be my diet. As a result, I made an appointment with Shay who helped me understand areas in which my nutrition was lacking. About 4-5 months later and my hair has made tremendous strides. Every time I get my hair done my stylist mentions how much progress I’ve made. Not only has my hair grown back but I am visibly more fit, feel healthier, and have way more energy. With all of that said, I couldn’t be more thankful to have worked with Shay and look forward to working with her in the future to reach my goals!

Alissa Silverman

04:52 27 Feb 20

Yummy Body Nutrition makes food choices and healthy eating fun! Ha has found a creative way to excite her community through her social media content by highlighting her innovative spin on nutrition! She is an extraordinary dietician who goes above and beyond the call of duty for her clients. She is highly resourceful when it comes to making nutritional plans that work with her clients busy lifestyles. Her reputation and commitment to excellence in client care make her a true asset to the field. Overall, Ha and Yummy Body Nutrition are deeply invested in ensuring the health and well-being for those that they serve!

Jacob Brooks

16:29 30 Jan 20

Shay changed my whole relationship to eating for the better. Within a month of first meeting with her i lost a significant amount of fat and gained a pound of muscle and I did not even find my new eating habits stressful. I have a much better diet now and if anything enjoy eating more, while having maintained my body goals for a year now.

Maryam Hallaj

16:06 26 Dec 19

I could not recommend Shay more! She is a supportive guide in any food & health journey and puts the thought and care to learn who you are as a person and how best to support YOU. She helped me address my health concerns, including high blood pressure, and has given me the tools to make informed decisions about my food and exercise. Shay provides a judgement free yet constructive zone to create goals and discuss the journey in meeting those goals.

Benefits of Fiber

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