What is fiber, what the benefit from fiber to our body, and what kinds of food contain high fiber? This articles will help you find out the answer for all that question.

Most people get less than half of the fiber they need. The average American's daily intake of dietary fiber is only 12-18 grams. The recommended for adult women is over 20 grams of fiber everyday and men should over 30 grams ( depending on how much calorie intake ). For example 2000 cal/8400 kJ diet should include 25 g of fiber per day. Children is that intake should equal age in years plus 5 g/day. Four years old should consume 9 g/day. ( based on ADA's recommendation )

Fiber is carbohydrates that cannot be digested by our body. Fiber provides no nutrients to the body because it is resistant to digestion. Fiber is present in all fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. We can categorizing fiber by how easily it dissolves in water. The first is soluble fiber that partially dissolves in water. And the other is insoluble fiber that does not dissolve in water. Since insoluble fiber particles do not change inside the body ( chemical process inside the stomach by the enzymes and acid ), the body should not absorb any energy from them.

But you don't have to know all about fiber to get benefit from it. When you eat a healthy diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, you usually get most of the fiber you'll need, which means you'll also be lowering your risk of diabetes, heart disease, diverticulitis, and constipation.

Eating food with high fiber has many benefits for your health. Soluble fiber reducing your cholesterol levels by lowering LDL cholesterol and may reduce onset risk or symptoms of metabolic syndrome and diabetes, when insoluble fiber reduces your risk of developing constipation, colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids. Both type can making you feel full faster and may reduce appetite, so can help you in your weight loss program.

The Harvard studies of male health professionals and female nurses both found that a diet high in cereal fiber was linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Another study published in this month's Diabetes Care (27:1281-1285) found that consumption of a high-fiber cereal reduced the rise in peak insulin compared with that seen after a low-fiber product.

Below are some fiber resources

Grain Products:
whole grain breads, buns, bagels, muffins, whole-wheat pastas and whole grains such as barley, popcorn, corn and brown rice

Fruits:
dried fruits such as apricots, dates, prunes and raisins, berries such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, oranges, apple with skin, avocado, kiwi, mango and pear

Vegetables:
broccoli, spinach, swiss chard, green peas and other dark green leafy vegetables, dried peas and beans such as kidney beans, lima beans, black-eyed beans, chick peas and lentils

Nuts and Seeds:
nuts and seeds such as almonds, whole flaxseed and soynuts

Today fiber have been sold as supplements or food additives.

Eat a variety of fiber-rich foods is the best way to receive the maximum benefits from each type of fiber present in foods.