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How to Incorporate Dietary Fiber in Your Diet

fiber rich food


Getting enough fiber in your diet is extremely important for a healthy body. It is often recommended to eat food that is high in dietary fiber and offers various benefits. Dietary fiber found in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains, is best known for its ability to provide various health benefits like preventing constipation, lowering blood sugar levels, etc. 

Dietary fibers are essential for overall body development yet on average people consume less dietary fiber in a day than recommended. Hence, learn more about dietary fiber and how you can incorporate it into your daily diet. 

Table of Content:

  • What is Dietary Fiber?
    • Soluble Fiber
    • Insoluble Fiber
  • Foods to Eat to Incorporate Dietary Fiber in Diet
    • Whole Wheat Flour
    • Vegetables
    • Fruits
    • Whole Grains
    • Chia Seeds
    • Legumes
    • Nuts
  • Benefits of High Fiber Diets 
    • Prevents Constipation
    • Lowers Cholesterol Levels
    • Helps Control Blood Sugar Levels
    • Body Weight Management

What is Dietary Fiber?

Dietary fiber is also known as roughage. It includes the food's parts that cannot be digested or absorbed by a human body. Unlike fats, proteins, carbohydrates, etc that the human body absorbs, fiber isn't digested or absorbed by the body. Thus, it passes through the digestive system and then out of the body.  

Dietary fiber is of two types: 

1. Soluble fiber

Soluble fiber is the one that dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material. It helps in lowering blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber is mainly found in carrots, barley, citrus fruits, oats, peas, beans, and apples. 

2. Insoluble fiber

Insoluble fiber is dietary fiber that does not dissolve in water. This type of fiber promotes movement of the material through your digestive tract which helps prevent constipation. Insoluble fiber is mainly found in whole wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, and vegetables.

It is important to receive dietary fiber from a wide variety of high-fiber foods that offer a plethora of health benefits for the human body. 

Foods to Eat to Incorporate Dietary Fiber in Diets

1. Whole Wheat Flour

When baking, choose a flour-like whole wheat flour that adds extra nutrition to chapatis, bread, muffins, etc. Whole wheat flour is highly nourishing and high in fiber content due to the presence of all three components: germ, endosperm, and bran of the wheat grain. 

2. Vegetables

There are a lot of positive reasons for you to consume vegetables. vegetables are high in fiber and nutrients which provides the human body with various health advantages like lowering the risk of chronic diseases, low-calorie consumption, etc. 

3. Fruits

Fruits are an excellent source of dietary fiber. All fruits provide enough fiber content to sustain the human body’s health. Fruits like pears, berries, watermelons, and apples have high fiber content. 

4. Whole Grains

Whole grains are minimally processed and thus, retain all the nutritious and dietary fiber value in their content. Incorporating whole grains like barley, buckwheat, millet, etc proves to be beneficial when looking for a dietary fiber-rich diet. 

5. Chia seeds

Chia seeds are the powerhouse of nourishment. They provide the human body with proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. These small seeds are the insoluble fiber that helps keep your digestive system intact. It also lowers the risk of an increase in blood sugar level or diabetes. 

6. Legumes

Legumes which include beans, dried peas, and lentils are an important part of an Indian diet. They are very rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Legumes help keep you away from several chronic diseases and also keep your intestinal tract healthy. 

7. Nuts

Nuts provide the human body with protein, fiber, and fat. Nuts are a versatile food option that has a high nutritional value which makes them an ideal snack. You can also garnish your meals with nuts like almonds to add extra nutrition and fiber to your meal. 

Benefits of High Fiber Diets 

1. Prevents Constipation

Consumption of dietary fiber softens the stool which prevents constipation and keeps your digestive system healthy. In case you have loose stool, fiber solidifies it by absorbing water and helps normalize bowel movements.

2. Lowers Cholesterol Levels

The dietary fiber content present in various food items helps lower overall blood cholesterol levels. It also offers other health benefits like reducing blood pressure and inflammation. 

3. Helps Control Blood Sugar Levels

Diabetic patients can consume high fiber content as it absorbs the sugar and helps improve the blood sugar levels of the human body. Consumption of dietary fiber also avoids the risks associated with diabetes. 

4. Body Weight Management

High fiber foods tend to be more fulfilling which prevents the tendency of overeating and thus, helps in body weight management. In addition to this, high fiber foods have fewer calories which makes them a wise choice for bodyweight management. 

Conclusion

High-fiber foods are healthy for the human body. The nutritional and high fiber value in such foods keeps your intestinal health on track and also keeps the overall functioning of the body in place, and enhances it as well. Consider incorporating dietary fiber in your day-to-day meals as it has plenty of health advantages. 

If you wish to buy whole wheat flour, that is highly nutritious, make the right choice of choosing India Gate Flours Fresh Chakki Atta for your family.