Everyone knows that fiber helps you digest food and relieves constipation, but did you know that it also lowers the risk of heart disease? Fiber, which is found mainly in legumes, vegetables, fruits and whole grains, also has several little-known health benefits, and after finding out what they are, you’ll be sure to get your recommended daily intake from here on out. The National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine recommends that women over age 50 get at least 21 grams of fiber per day.
Here are five little-known health benefits of fiber:
Weight Loss Foods that are high in fiber are less energy dense than others, meaning they tend to have fewer calories for the same amount of food. They also take longer to eat, which is why they are used frequently in diet programs. Since fiber-rich foods generally require more chewing time, your body can more easily evaluate when you are full Also, a high-fiber diet will help your feeling of fullness last longer, making it more likely that you will be able to resist those tempting between-meal snacks.
Lower Cholesterol Soluble fiber, found in beans, peas, prunes, apples, flaxseed and oats, helps to lower blood cholesterol levels by reducing the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" kind of cholesterol. Studies have shown that consuming between 10 to 25 grams of soluble fiber each day can lower cholesterol by nearly 20 percent. Make sure to get at least five to ten grams of soluble fiber per day to get the benefit.
