What's All The Fuss About Fiber ?

We never stop hearing about it ! - do we ?

Eat more fiber - eat more fiber - fiber is good for you - must have a high fiber diet ... and on and on and ...

OK let's break it down into three sections - What is fiber? - How does it help? - and which foods are high fiber?

What is fiber ?

Just as it sounds, fibers are long thread like substances found in certain foods. There are two types of fiber, soluble fiber which is soluble in water and insoluble which - you guessed it - does not dissolve in water. They are both good for you but in quite different ways.

How it helps

Soluble fiber slows down the digestion of food which helps to stabilize blood glucose levels. It forms a gel with the water in your digestive system which results in a swelling effect which makes you feel fuller without any extra calories. By uniting with the bile acids and cholesterol in your digestive tract the amount of cholesterol that gets into your bloodstream is reduced. As well as helping with weight loss soluble fiber reduces the risk of heart disease as well as obesity.

Insoluble fiber speeds up the passage of food in the digestive tract which helps prevent constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, diabetes and possibly cancer of the colon. Insoluble fibers also reduces the absorption of salt and unwelcome toxins, salt reduction is a big help in the prevention of high blood pressure.

So, all in all, fibers are pretty amazing stuff, they not only make you feel that you have consumed more and therefore feel less hungry but have a whole host of other marvellous health enhancing benefits. The fibers themselves pass through your system largely unchanged but does an awful lot of good along the way !

Are you sold on fibers ? Here's where they are found ...

High fiber foods

Whole grain breads, buns, bagels and muffins

Corn bran, whole wheat, whole wheat pasta, oat bran, bran flakes, corn flakes and wheat oat

Whole grains, for example barley corn and brown rice

Fruits, such as apples, apricots, dates, dried prunes, raisins, oranges, pears, banana, and other citrus fruits

Berries such as blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries

Vegetables, broccoli, spinach, peas, baked beans, carrots, soy beans, beets and lentils

Seeds and nuts, almonds, flaxseed and soy nuts

The above combined with fish, chicken and occasionally lean red meat along with a modest amount of exercise will have you healthy, feeling great and looking stunning !

The diets we recommend are, we are certain, the best of the best. They are safe, tried and tested and they work !

This weight loss business isn't as difficult or as unpleasant as many make it out to be. At the first sign of weight loss - which, with the plans we recommend, will be a matter of days - you will be excited and encouraged to carry on knowing that a traffic stopping you is just around the corner !

Your good health,

Liz Langley