Benefits of Eating a High Fiber Diet

We are constantly urged to significantly increase our intake of dietary fiber, but although we know that it is good for us, sometimes it isn’t really made clear what fiber can do to benefit our health. First of all, the American Heart Association tells us that we should eat foods high in fiber and they even go so far as to give their stamp of approval to several foods on the market such as cereals that contain oats of some form or other. Whether they are cold cereals or hot cereals, oats are high in fiber and are said to reduce LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream which is proven to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

The next major organization that urges us to eat diets high in fiber is the National Cancer Institute. One of the leading, often preventable, forms of cancer is colorectal cancer. It has been well established that fiber keeps the intestines flushed and free of built-up waste and toxins.

Over time, if left to sit there fermenting, this toxic matter can cause a number of issues which are known to be pre-cursors to colorectal cancer, such as polyps.

As a result of keeping the digestive tract cleared of toxins, fewer of them are able to penetrate intestinal walls and infiltrate the entire body.

This means that almost every organ in the body is all the better for it. You will have clearer skin and the liver will need to work less to filter toxins as well because they won’t be in such great numbers in the bloodstream. The benefits of eating a high fiber diet are much more far reaching than most of us are led to believe. Not only does it promote better health, but we look better, are more energized and feel better all the way around.