If you’re regularly feeling backed up and bloated, then you — like many people — probably need more fiber in your diet.
“The average American only gets 10 to 15 grams (of fiber) per day,” Grace Derocha, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com.
That’s pretty far short of the recommended 25 to 38 grams per day, Frances Largeman-Roth, registered dietitian and author of “Everyday Snack Tray,” tells TODAY.com. And getting adequate fiber is “one of the top issues that people struggle with and one of the most common questions I’m asked by clients,” she says.
Without enough fiber, people may feel bloated, constipated and gassy, Derocha says. They may also feel less satisfied after their meals, which can lead to overeating, Largeman-Roth adds. And fiber can help lower cholesterol, Derocha explains, meaning getting more fiber can have heart-health benefits, too.
And getting more fiber in your meals can be surprisingly easy.
Fiber benefits
What is it that makes fiber such a powerhouse? You can think of fiber as the “street sweeper of your system,” Derocha says.
Soluble fiber, which dissolves in water, acts like the street sweeper “sludge” to move things along through the gut, she explains. And insoluble fiber acts as “the bristles and brushes that actually scrape the insides to get the gunk out of your system,” Derocha says.
The whole process gets rid of excess waste that would otherwise hinder your ability to absorb nutrients from your food and lead to inflammation down the line, she says.
These types of fiber have impacts on other bodily systems, too.
“Soluble fiber will swell in water, and will make the meal move more slowly through the intestines,” Whitney Linsenmeyer, Ph.D., assistant professor at Saint Louis University and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com.
That helps control blood sugar levels because “glucose molecules will get trapped in the fiber gel and get absorbed more…
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