The fiber has a high satiating power. Unable to digest or absorb it, our body and it eliminates toxic substances ejected. It also helps eliminate bad cholesterol.
Nutritionists do not always share opinion as to what foods are essential in our diet. However, the importance of fiber is one of the issues on which everyone agrees.
In this article we explain why regular consumption of fiber helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases and what is the healthiest way to consume.
What are cardiovascular diseases?
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide , and are the conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. They include, among others, coronary heart disease (heart attacks), cardiovascular disease (stroke), hypertension, arrhythmia, peripheral vascular disease, congenital heart disease, rheumatic heart disease and heart failure.
Factors influencing these conditions:
- Smoking
- Alcoholism
- Sedentary
- Unbalanced diet
- Obesity
- Cholesterol
- Diabetes
Metabolic syndrome
The metabolic syndrome, also known as syndrome X, is a group of diseases that is increasingly common, especially in countries like the United States. The disorders included, which are the blood pressure, high levels of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides and excess fat around the waist , are characterized by increased risk of developing heart disease.
As explained below, the fiber can play an important role in treating these disorders and, therefore, in the prevention of heart disease.
Does the fiber gives us something?
The great benefit of fiber is not what brings us nutritionally, but precisely what helps us eliminate. Its composition makes can not digest or absorb, so that the body has no other choice but to remove him without cause any negative effects. On the contrary, the more fiber consume, the more we help you can drag a greater number of potentially toxic substances in our body outwardly through the intestine. Moreover, it also facilitates peristalsis favoring evacuation and combat constipation .
Less cholesterol and triglycerides
In addition to dragging toxins and improve intestinal transit, fiber plays an important function related to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The fiber makes cholesterol is eliminated with feces while difficult to absorb as much of this as fats . Furthermore, also it influences the reduction in blood triglyceride levels.
Obesity
Including fiber foods naturally has a high satiating power, which makes do not have the need to eat so much. This contributes to a healthy weight and fight obesity, which is one of the factors that aggravate cardiovascular health.
Another beneficial property of the fiber in helping you lose weight or keep an ideal weight is the ability to eliminate some of the sugars that have ingested, which also has a positive effect in controlling blood glucose .
How do we consume?
Since nutritionists have recommended increasing fiber intake also we have seen how the range of fiber-enriched products expanded. However, the fiber that our body assimilates more healthfully is what foods contain naturally , not artificially added. Excessive consumption of these enriched products may cause flatulence, bloating, poor absorption of other nutrients and other digestive disorders.
The best option is to choose foods high in fiber:
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- Fruits and nuts
- Seeds
It is essential to drink water
If we increase the fiber intake also we need to pay special attention to the amount of water we drink between meals, which will be essential to digest fiber. We should drink between a liter and a half to two liters of water a day.
If not ironmongers far too much fiber, the first days we do can feel some digestive discomfort or even have a bit of constipation, as part of the transition process. Will alleviate these increasing consumption of water and taking a natural laxative such as psyllium or flax seeds.
