I keep hearing how important it is to increase my fiber intake. What is fiber and how much do I actually need in order to be healthy?
Fiber is essentially the component of plants that is resistant to digestion. Unlike other nutrients, it simply passes through the stomach and intestinal tract without being broken down by digestive enzymes. What also makes fiber important is its special ability to pick up other molecules in the course of its journey through the digestive system. One such molecule is water. Since heavier stools are generally better moved stools, fiber helps avert constipation by adding “weight” in the form of water to the system. Fiber also has a penchant for picking up substances like hormones, vitamins, and bile acids which accounts for its apparent role in preventing cancers of the colon and breast, reducing cholesterol, and minimizing the complications of diabetes. In a fruit, vegetable or grain the amount of fiber depends on the age and type of the plant from which it is derived. Insoluble fiber includes wheat bran, the skins of fruits and vegetables, the whole of strawberries and raspberries, buts
