There are a lot of options of diet program for weight loss or just for healthy lifestyle goal. However, there are a lot of people out there who have tried several types of diet program with no success outcome without knowing what the real problem is.
Health Benefits of A Diet that Meets the DRI for Dietary Fiber
One of the well known diet type is a diet that meets the daily recommendation intake of dietary fiber. It is well mentioned that for weight loss, fulfilling the daily recommendation intake of dietary fiber is essential. To find out, the list of benefits below will inform you in the details information about the health benefits of a diet that meets the dri for dietary fiber.
- Maintain the Bowel Movements
There are two types of fiber and one of them is insoluble fiber which helps bulking the food so it could pass the bowel system in easier way.
- Improve Digestion Health
When the bowel movement inside the intestine is well-maintained will automatically improve the digestion health. One of the health benefits of fiber is also maintaining the pH in the intestine.
- Lowers the Level of Cholesterol
Foods high of fiber also considered as foods that lower cholesterols level because fiber will bind the cholesterol in the intestine and wash them off from the system.
- Controls Blood Sugar Level
Some scientific studies have found out the significant role of fiber in controlling the blood sugar level and maintaining it in the normal level for patients diagnosed with certain types of diabetes.
- Increases Insulin Sensitivity
Fiber could be used as diabetes treatment as well because those who are suffering from type 2 diabetes is highly recommended due to its ability to increase the insulin sensitivity.
- Aids in Weight Loss
Consuming foods rich of fiber could aid weight loss because they could control your appetite by making you feel full longer.
- Good for Heart Health
As mentioned above, diet high of fiber could maintain the level of cholesterol. It means, it could prevent the formation of plaque in the artery. The result is it will be good for heart health.
- Reduces the Risk of Cancer
You could use high fiber diet of how to prevent cancer naturally. A study that has been published in Annals of Oncology clearly mentioned that high fiber diet could help reducing the risk of cancer especially colon cancer and breast cancer in women.
- Natural Body Detox
Some scientific studies have proven the amazing ability of fiber as natural body detox. It is naturally will scrub and eliminate the amount of toxins in your body such as unhealthy fat, cholesterol and even harmful bacteria inside the intestine.
- Enhance Immunity
When your body is relatively free from bacteria, unhealthy compounds and toxins mean your immunity system is in a better condition.
- Prevents Inflammation in the Intestine
When your intestine is healthy you could avoid all kinds of problems that may occur including colon cancer. High fiber diet could help inflammation in the intestine which could be the root of those problems.
- Improves the Number of Good Bacteria in the Intestine
Well, fiber could act as probiotic as well to help increasing the number of good bacteria inside the intestine. It is well known that the health benefits of probiotic is good to improve the health of the intestine.
- Reduces the Number of Calories Absorption
By fulfilling the daily intake of fiber you could reduce the number of calories absorption. In other words, you could manage your weight in easier way.
- Prevents Obesity
Obesity becomes one of the problems that have been influenced by various factors. However, whatever the factors are, consuming high fiber diet could help preventing this condition significantly.
- Live Longer
Well, to summary up all the health benefits of fulfilling your daily intake of fiber you could live longer by preventing all kinds of condition that may cut your chance of life.
Natural Source of Fiber
Some of you might be wondering about the healthy source of fiber to ensure you could fulfil the daily recommendation intake of dietary fiber. For optimal diet you could consume foods below in daily basis:
- All kinds of beans.
- While grains products from bread up to pasta.
- All kinds of nuts from peanut, walnut, pecans and so on.
- Brown rice.
- Crunchy vegetables
- Fruits especially juicy fruits like berries.
- Potatoes with skin because the skin is the excellent source of fiber.
There are a lot of options of healthy and tasty foods you could get from the list of food as top fiber source mentioned above.
The Daily Recommendation Intake for Dietary Fiber
Aside from knowing the health benefits of a diet that meets the DRI for dietary fiber, knowing the exact amount of fiber you should consume in daily basis is also important. The table below will explain in detail the daily recommendation intake of dietary fiber based on the range of age and gender.
| Age Ranges | Female | Male |
| Children 1 to 3 years old | 19 g | 19 g |
| Children 4 to 8 years old | 25 g | 25 g |
| Children 9 – 13 years old | 26 g | 31 g |
| Adolescents 14 – 18 years old | 26 g | 38 g |
| Adults younger than 50 years old | 25 g | 38 g |
| Adults older than 50 years old | 20 g | 30 g |
Side Effects of Too High Fiber Intake
That is why very important to stick on the DRI or Daily Recommendation Intake of Fiber very closely if you don’t want to suffer from the side effect of too high fiber intake.
- Abdominal pain and flatulence are the common condition when you exceed the daily intake of dietary fiber. In the worse condition, diarrhea and loose stool could follow suit.
- If you have diabetes, too much dietary fiber in your system could cause the drop of blood sugar level which is as bad as suffering from high sugar level.
- There are a lot of source of fiber from natural foods, unless you are in specific condition taking dietary fiber supplement is not recommended.
It is important to contact your doctor if you want to do a specific diet that related to DRI of dietary fiber to avoid the side effects of having too high fiber intake.