Facts about fiber that you need to know

High quality or, better yet, homemade granola is a high-fiber food.

Even though research has shown fiber to be powerful, many people aren’t taking this nutrient seriously. Here are some facts to help fuel your diet with fiber:

• Fiber fights diseases. A diet high in fiber can help to prevent colon cancer and heart disease. High fiber helps the body eliminate cholesterol by binding it in the digestive tract.  For thousands of years, fiber has been used to stop constipation.
• Fiber can actually help with overeating. High fiber foods will take longer to chew and digest, making you feel satisfied longer
• Most popular, processed foods don’t have enough fiber. If you like processed foods, you probably need to increase your intake of fiber.
• Grains offer the most fiber. Dietary fiber is actually plant matter that we cannot digest.  The best sources are whole grains and concentrated grain products.
• More fiber needs more water. In order to keep fiber moving through your digestive tract, you’ll need to consume a lot of water. With your diet of fiber, you’ll need eight or more glasses of water every day.
• Fiber cannot be cooked out. When you cook your fruits and vegetables, don’t worry about cooking the fiber out, as it stays. The fiber found in fruits and vegetables aren’t just in the skin or in the peel.
• You can get too much fiber. If you eat more than 50 grams of fiber in a day, you can get diarrhea and bloating, which can interfere with your body’s absorption of other key minerals.
• Getting the right amount of fiber in your diet doesn’t have to be hard. All you have to do is eat the right foods and you’ll be well on your way to a fiber-rich lifestyle.