How Dietary Fibres Are Useful to Our Body?

Dietary fibres are essential to a healthy diet, providing numerous bodily benefits. You can find them in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes and can help improve digestion, lower cholesterol levels, and regulate blood sugar. In addition to these benefits, dietary fibres also play a role in maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of certain diseases. We will explore all the detailed answers for – how dietary fibres are useful to our body and what the benefits of using it. 

In this blog post, we will dive deeper into the benefits of dietary fibres and explore the different types of threads and how to incorporate them into your diet. So, read on to learn more about the importance of nutritional fibres in maintaining overall health and wellness.

Importance of dietary fibres in the human body

Dietary fibres are essential. They help maintain your weight and add more nutrients to your body. Usually, the fibres are an unprocessed form of carbohydrate that is indigestible to our body. This is why most people do not recognize or consider their importance to human health. We all wonder how dietary fibres are useful to our body, 

For instance, if you eat a muffin with lots of sugar, your body will break down the sugar into glucose and fructose. However, as the fibre present in it is unprocessed and indigestible, your body will not be able to digest it. 

Dietary fibres are a great way to keep your body healthy and fit. If you consume 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, it will regulate your bowel movements and improve your digestion rate. 

If you want to know more about how dietary fibres are useful to our body, then you can get in touch with a dietician for a better opinion. 

Types of dietary fibres

1. Soluble dietary fibres

• Soluble dietary fibres are one of the most well-known types of dietary fibres, with their benefits receiving significant attention from health and nutrition professionals. 
• Common sources of soluble fibre include oat bran, beans, lentils, apples, oranges, and bananas. Soluble fibre comes from plant foods. 
• It can become gels or thicken when mixed with water.

     2. Insoluble dietary fibres

• Insoluble dietary fibres are indigestible, i.e., they cannot be broken down into glucose and absorbed by the intestine. 
• They are commonly referred to as ‘non-digestible’ or ‘roughage’ fibre. 
• Common sources of insoluble fibre include wheat bran, nuts, and seeds – Insoluble fibre comes from plant foods.
• Dietary fibres are the indigestible parts of plant foods and provide numerous health benefits. 

     3. Functional dietary fibres

• Functional dietary fibres have specific health benefits in protecting various organs, thus providing essential health advantages. 
• Common sources of functional dietary fibres include inulin, psyllium husk, and guar gum. 
• They slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream and can help prevent spikes in blood sugar levels. 
• They can also help push excess fluids out of the colon in a regulated manner, thus reducing the risk of constipation or diarrhoea.

    4. Insoluble/soluble dietary fibres ratio

• According to a study published in the journal Nutrition, the ratio of insoluble and soluble dietary fibres in your diet can play an essential role in regulating blood sugar levels. 
• The doctors explain that blood sugar levels will significantly reduce after a meal when a high amount of insoluble fibre is present. 
• Similarly, they also observed that blood sugar levels significantly increased after a meal when high amounts of soluble fibre were present.

Health benefits of using dietary fibres

1. Weight management

• Fibre sources such as fruit and vegetables are the best way to prevent overeating. 
• Research has shown that people who eat fibre-rich diets have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who do not.
• Fibre also reduces the occurrence of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer by lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels. 

If you wonder how dietary fibres are useful to our body, it majorly helps in weight management and weight control. 

     2. Digestion 

• Dietary fibres are known to aid in reducing constipation while also promoting gastrointestinal health. 
• Fibre is a great way to help you excrete waste and avoid getting dehydrated or having water retention. 
• It will also improve digestion and help you to absorb more nutrients. 

    3. Cholesterol management 

• Insoluble fibres such as oat bran, wheat bran, psyllium husk, calcium carbonate, and magnesium hydroxide are all excellent sources of fibre that can help reduce cholesterol levels. 
• In one study, participants who took psyllium husk supplements had lower cholesterol levels than those who did not. 

   4. Blood sugar levels 

• Insoluble fibres are an excellent way to help regulate blood sugar levels in your body. 
• Soluble fibre from fruits, vegetables, and legumes is excellent for preventing spikes in blood sugar levels.

Recommended daily intake of dietary fibres

1. Dietary fibres are essential to maintain and improve digestion in the body.
2. Dietary fibres are essential, which help to maintain your weight and add more nutrients to your body. 
3. Fibres are an unprocessed form of carbohydrate that is indigestible to our body. 
4. This is why most people need to recognize or consider their importance to human health.
5. For instance, if you eat a muffin with lots of sugar, your body will break down the sugar into glucose and fructose.
6. However, as the fibre present in it is unprocessed and indigestible, your body will not be able to digest it. 
7. Therefore, to prevent dehydration and constipation, you need to include fibres in your diet daily.

Understand how dietary fibres are useful to our body

• Fibre is a type of carbohydrate. It is found in many foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains. 
• Fibre provides us with a significant amount of essential nutrients such as B vitamins and minerals. 
• It also helps to regulate our blood sugar levels to prevent diabetes. 
• These things should be considered if you want to live a healthy life with reduced risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
• If you are not getting enough dietary fibres, then it is essential that you increase your fibre intake.
• You can do this by adding more fibre-rich foods to your diet. 
• Eating the right amount of dietary fibres will help keep your heart healthy and reduce your risk of developing diabetes and cancer.
• The recommended fibre intake for adults aged 19 years and above is at least 30 grams daily.

Foods that are high in dietary fibres and useful to our body

1. Legumes: The term ‘beans’ encompasses several different veggies such as lima, pinto, kidney, navy, and black beans.
2. Fruits: The best sources of fibre can be found in vegetables such as whole grains, potatoes, and corn. 
3. Whole grains: When you eat a variety of whole grains (such as wheat, brown rice, oats, and quinoa), you will get a considerable amount of fibre in your body. 
4. Vegetables: You can also get dietary fibres by eating lots of vegetables that are rich in vitamins and minerals. 

Conclusion

Dietary fibres are a great way to keep your body healthy and fit. If you consume 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, it will regulate your bowel movements and improve your digestion rate. These dietary fibres can take the form of small capsules or balls in water as they do not dissolve in water, hence the reason for being ‘insoluble.’ There is no one answer for- how dietary fibres are useful to our body. However, dietary fibres have a lot of benefits and uses. Yet, we will recommend taking the opinion of a dietician. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q1. Why Is Fiber Good for You?

Ans: If you have not consumed enough fibre in your diet, you will find it difficult to digest and absorb other nutrients properly. Insoluble fibres also promote regular bowel movements, thereby keeping the system healthy.

Q2. What Are The Sources Of Dietary Fibre?

Ans: Dietary fibres are found in legumes, fruits, vegetables, and grains. These foods contain fibre in their cell walls. However, the most common sources of dietary fibres are cereals, lentils, and legumes.

Q3. How Much Is Enough?

Ans: It depends on your requirement, but the ideal amount is at least 20-25 grams per day, ideally 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables (remember to peel like peaches or carrots to remove fibre from them). 

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