{"id":2282,"date":"2019-04-04T20:15:59","date_gmt":"2019-04-04T20:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/?p=2282"},"modified":"2019-04-04T20:15:59","modified_gmt":"2019-04-04T20:15:59","slug":"the-super-charged-super-nutrient-youre-not-getting-enough-of","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/the-super-charged-super-nutrient-youre-not-getting-enough-of\/","title":{"rendered":"The Super-Charged Super-Nutrient You\u2019re Not Getting Enough Of"},"content":{"rendered":"

Think your diet is pretty healthy? If you\u2019re eating the USRDA recommended daily amounts of the various food groups, then there\u2019s a good chance you are eating healthy. However, if you aren\u2019t making the right choices when it comes to some of the foods you eat, specifically in the fruits, vegetables, and grains categories, you probably aren\u2019t eating as good as you think. The fact is, studies have shown that only about 5 percent<\/a> of adult Americans get enough fiber in their daily diet. Because many foods contain fiber, you can\u2019t exactly call it a super-food, but it is a super-charged nutrient that\u2019s essential for health. Read on to find out why you need more of it in your diet and how to increase daily fiber intake to make your body healthier and even help with weight loss.<\/p>\n

Benefits of Fiber<\/h4>\n
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Sufficient fiber in your diet keeps the bacteria in your gut healthy–and that helps keep you healthy and trim.<\/p><\/div>\n

So, here\u2019s the odd thing about fiber: you can\u2019t digest it, so your body doesn\u2019t absorb nutrition from it. \u201cWhy should I eat something I can\u2019t digest?\u201d you may ask. Because your body can process it into something useful that has important health benefits. Fiber used to be categorized as either soluble or insoluble, but researchers have found that there are different sub-types including viscous and fermentable fiber, both of which your body is capable of processing. Those types of fiber get broken down in your system and can serve as food for the bacteria in your gut<\/a>. If you don\u2019t eat enough fiber, the \u201cmicrobiome\u201d in your intestines becomes imbalanced. The bacteria can begin eating away at the mucous lining of your stomach resulting in stomach and digestive problems and, eventually, immune reactions.<\/p>\n

Remember, though, that a variety of different types of fiber is necessary for health, including the insoluble type. Even though your body can\u2019t digest or process it at all, it\u2019s still useful because it keeps your digestive tract clean. As it moves through your intestines, it activates movement of everything else, so nothing remains behind to keep your system from working properly.<\/p>\n

If those benefits sound a little too vague to get you excited about dietary fiber, the Mayo Clinic<\/a> points out that the fiber in oats, beans, and flaxseed helps lower cholesterol and can assist in keeping your heart healthy by also lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation. Soluble fiber also helps control blood sugar, making it useful for people with Type 2 Diabetes and even helping reduce the risk of developing the disease altogether. Plus, the Institute of Cancer Research<\/a> reveals that fiber-filled fruits and vegetables can protect against various cancers such as:<\/p>\n