Fiber is the most important thing you may not be eating. On average, Americans are deficient in fiber — only eating 14-15 grams a day of the recommended 20-35 grams a day. If you’re not conscious of your fiber intake, it might be time to find out more ways to incorporate fiber into your diet.
First, it’s important to understand what fiber does for your body. For an element that is not absorbed into the bloodstream, fiber is surprisingly critical component of diet and overall healthy.
What fiber does for your body
Fiber provides a variety of functions for the body. It helps regulate blood sugar in the body and has been linked to healthier heart function. The biggest contributor of fiber is in digestion. Since the digestive system contributes to nearly every function in the body — you can see why fiber is essential.
Getting the proper amount of fiber in your diet means that food is moved along properly through both the large and small intestine. Without fiber to move food through, complications in digestion and other health problems can arise. It’s critical to so many functions to consume the proper amount of fiber — including blood sugar regulation and digestion.
How to get more fiber in your diet
Eat whole foods. Fiber occurs in many foods naturally — as long as those foods remain unprocessed. Whole grains (oatmeal, wheat bran, quinoa, etc), vegetables, and beans are all high-fiber choices for your diet. Even some processed foods can provide quality fiber. Items like whole grain bread and enriched cereals can be a viable choice — as long as you watch the sugar and additives common in those items.
Supplement. To get the recommended amount of fiber in a day, you could find challenges in eating that many vegetables. Sometimes busy schedules get in the way. In that case, supplements via vitamins or nutrient drinks can be a healthy trick. ORGANO™ makes getting fiber super easy with FENIX™ shakes that contain gut-healthy Fibersol®. Even ORGANO™ coffee and teas can contain up to 3 grams of naturally occurring fiber from the Ganoderma lucidum mushroom. #TasteTheGold