Which Fiber Should You Take More – Soluble Or Insoluble?

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Soluble Or Insoluble fiber

Dietary fibers that pass through the digestive system without breaking down are part of plant-based food items. But they are categorized into two broad types – soluble and insoluble – for convenience of understanding their functions.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water as it is made largely of plant pectin and gums. But insoluble fiber doesn’t because it contains plant cellulose and hemicellulose. Also, most plant contains both types of fibers but their amount varies from one plant to another.

Fiber is important for a healthy digestive system and many other benefits

Advantages of soluble and insoluble fibers

Fiber makes a healthy diet and both types of fibers are great for a healthy gut and digestive system. But soluble and insoluble fibers work differently.

Soluble fiber makes a gel after dissolving in water and this gel has plenty of health benefits like improved digestion, reducing cholesterol level and checking blood glucose. And improved control over blood glucose will prevent development of diabetes.

Insoluble fiber adds water to stool so that it becomes softer and passes without putting any stress on the bowel movement. It improves bowel health by making it regular. Also, it improves insulin sensitivity and could prevent diabetes.

Dietary fiber is good for your gut and it can give many benefits, if taken in the right amount. But researchers are still exploring the health benefits of taking dietary fibers.

Here’re some of the biggest health benefits of dietary fibers

• Weight loss
• Prevent hypertension
• Balance cholesterol level
• Prevent hemorrhoids by regulating bowel movement
• Control blood sugar
• Regulate sanitation signals of the body
• Lowers risk of colon cancer, breast cancer and diabetes

If you increase your dietary food intake by two servings of the whole grain food, you can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by 21%

Risk associated with dietary fibers

Dietary fibers are good for your health especially gut but only when taken in the right amount and if you accidentally consume more fibers, you will experience side effects like abdominal bloating, gas and pain. These are some of the risks … Find more

Popcorn And Dark Chocolate Are Good For Health

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Dark-chocolate

Fiber is incredibly important due to its health benefits that include controlling blood sugar, reducing cholesterol, improving digestion, preventing gastrointestinal cancer and promoting healthy weight.

You should know about the food that can give you a good amount of fiber and they are 22 in number.

  1. Pears (3.1 grams)

A pear is both tasty and nutritious as it provides a rich amount of fiber that is 3.1 gm/100 gm. But a medium size raw pear contains 5.5 gm/100 gm of fiber.

  1. Strawberries (2 grams)
Strawberries

Strawberries look delicious because of their rich color and nutrients that include vitamin C, manganese, antioxidants and fiber that is available in the quantity of 2 gm/100 gm of strawberries.

  1. Avocado (6.7 grams)

Avocado is unique due to its nutrient contents that include vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin E and B vitamins. The amount of fiber content in avocado is 6.7 gm/100 gm.

  1. Apples (2.4 grams)

An apple a day keeps a doctor away because it has high fiber content. A ripen apple contains 2.4 gm/100 gm but a medium size raw apple packs 4.4 grams of fiber.

  1. Raspberries (6.5 grams)
Raspberries

Raspberries give a strong flavor due to high content of vitamin C and manganese. Also, they are rich in fiber that is 6.5 gm/100 gm.

  1. Bananas (2.6 grams)

Bananas are rich in nutrients as they contain many things including vitamin C and B6 and potassium. Unripe bananas have high amount of resistant starch, a kind of indigestible carbohydrate with fiber like properties. Also, they contain protein in high amount. The fiber content of banana is 6.2 gm/100 gm.

  1. Carrots (2.8 grams)

This tasty and crunchy root vegetable is highly nutritious as well. Its nutrient content includes vitamin K, B6, magnesium, and beta carotene. It is antioxidant that human body turns into vitamin A. Fiber content of carrot is 2.8 gm/100 gm.

  1. Beets (2.8 grams)

Beetoot give important nutrients like folate, iron, copper, manganese, potassium and inorganic nitrates that help in blood pressure regulation. Its fiber content is 2.8 gm/100 gm.

  1. Broccoli (2.6 grams)

Broccoli is the most nutrient-dense vegetable as it contains vitamin C, K and … Find more

Know Whether You Have A Hormonal Belly

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Hormonal belly fat

Do you know your hormones could make you put on fat especially around your belly? Hormones are responsible for most body functions like reacting to stress and hunger. And a slight imbalance in hormones could result in accumulation of belly fat or hormonal belly. For example, take underactive thyroid PCOS and menopause that are prime reasons for belly fat in women.

If you want to know whether you’ve belly fat then look for the following signs

  1. Feeling hungry even after eating

It happens due to decrease in estrogen levels. Low level of estrogen in turn impacts leptin production that could increase to the problematic level. And, if your testosterone level increases, it will decrease leptin. Leptin is responsible for regulating body weight. Here, your sex hormones are indirectly affecting leptin responsible for regulating body metabolism.

  1. Feeling stressed

Stress activates adrenal glands to produce cortisol that trigger stress response. But an overstressed body keeps adrenal glands active all the day leading to over production of cortisol leading to hormonal belly. It can also increase heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar.

  1. Fat accumulation only around waistline

Every woman experienced menopause but some women have more problems with menopause. It could bring a sharp decrease in estrogen levels resulting in weight gain especially in the abdomen that in other areas like thighs, hips and buttocks.

  1. Cravings for sweet

People of all age like sweets but craving for more is due to increased resistance to insulin. With insulin resistance, your body won’t be able to extract sugar from the bloodstream leaving you to crave for more carbs. Also, your sensitivity for insulin and leptin will decrease to alarming level where you will keep on consuming more sweets leading to getting hormonal fat. You won’t know when to stop eating sugar.… Find more