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Fiber is important to a healthy diet

Dietary fiber, also known as roughage or bulk, includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Unlike other food components, such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates — which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digestible. Instead, it passes relatively intact through your stomach, small intestine, colon and out of your body.

Fiber is commonly classified as soluble or insoluble.

Soluble fiber: This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.
Insoluble fiber: This type of fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregularity. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans and vegetables, such as cauliflower, green beans and potatoes, are good sources of insoluble fiber.

Most plant-based foods, such as oatmeal and beans, contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. However, the amount of each type varies in different plant foods. To receive the greatest health benefit, simply eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods.

Benefits of a high-fiber diet

Facilitates elimination. Dietary fiber eases the process of elimination and decreases the chance of constipation. On the other side of the spectrum, fiber may help to solidify watery waste.
Helps maintain digestive health. A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease). Because some fiber is known to be fermented in the colon, researchers are looking at how this may play a role in preventing diseases of the colon.
Lowers cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels. Studies also have shown that fiber may have other heart-health benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
Helps control blood sugar levels. In people with diabetes, fiber can slow down the absorption of sugar and thereby improve blood sugar levels. A healthy diet that includes insoluble fiber may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Aids in achieving healthy weight. High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives the body time to register that hunger has been assuaged, so you're less likely to overeat. A high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, which produces satiety for a greater amount of time. An added advantage of high-fiber diets is that they tend to contain fewer calories for the same volume of food.

How much fiber is needed in a diet

The Institute of Medicine, which provides science-based advice on matters of medicine and health, gives the following daily recommendations for adults:

	Age 50 or younger	Age 51 or older
Men	38 grams	30 grams
Women	25 grams	21 grams

Best choices for fiber

If you aren't getting enough fiber each day, you may need to boost your intake. Good choices include:

Whole-grain Products
- 1 cup oatmeal: 4 grams of fiber
- 1 cup whole wheat pasta: 6.3 grams fiber
Fruits
- 1 apple: 4 grams of fiber
- 1 banana: 3 grams of fiber
- 1/2 cup raspberries: 4 grams of fiber
Vegetables
- 1 cooked artichoke: 10.3 grams of fiber
- 1 cup broccoli (boiled): 5.1 grams of fiber
Beans, peas and other legumes
- 1 cup lentils (cooked): 15.6 grams of fiber
- 1 cup black beans (cooked): 15 grams of fiber
Nuts and seeds
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds: 4 grams of fiber
- 1 ounce almonds: 3.5 grams of fiber

High-fiber foods are good for your health; however, adding too much fiber all at once can result in intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and cramping. It’s better to increase fiber in the diet gradually over a period of several weeks. This allows the natural bacteria in the digestive system to adjust. Fiber works most ideally with water, so be sure to drink plenty.