Most people refer to fibre as bulk or roughage. These terms don’t completely tells us what fibre really Is since we have both soluble and insoluble fibre. In this case, bulk or roughage only describe more of insoluble fibre and not the soluble one.
Before I start discussing significances of fibre in our diets and hence in our bodies, I would like to give you a brief orientation about the types of fibre and where to get it. This is quite advisable to avoid a scenario where you know the importance of fibre but that information alone is useless without knowing where to get the fibre from.
As I have mentioned above, we have both soluble and insoluble types of fibre. Examples of Insoluble fibre include;
Examples of soluble fibre;
They above sources of fibre, we do come across them quite regular so it is not a hard thing to consume them. I will proceed to importance of fibre in our bodies.
Fibre helps in regulating cholesterol levels .Fibre contains an ability to prevent uptake of excess fat or Short-chain fatty acids. This helps to prevent excess fats from accumulating in our bodies therefore eliminating excess cholesterol from our bodies. This is especially aided by the soluble fibres like beans, apples skin.
Fibre also prevents constipation. The soluble fibre soaks into water or absorbs water like a sponge therefore ensuring a smooth passage of the food in the intestines and prevent it from being hard. The insoluble fibre provides bulk to help push and combine the waste together so as to move uniformly and properly. Since the waste is not hard and not extremely smooth because of the roughage present, the constipation condition is avoided.
Fibre aids in reduction of weight. When someone is experiencing an obesity or overweight problem, Its advisable that they take lots of fibre because, as I have mentioned earlier, it regulates amount of cholesterol in our bodies and also it helps us feel full for a long time and quicker therefore reducing the amount of food we consume.
Fibre helps to curb the occurrence of Bowel cancer. Sincefibre is quite dominant in the bowel and its main function is toensure total excretion of solid waste from our body, it aids in eliminating all the harmful substances in the bowel that can result to bowel cancer if they are not let out and they accumulate.
Fibre is quite important in our bodies. We should embrace its consumption in all our meals to be safe from the problems brought by not consuming it.
