THE IMPORTANCE OF FIBER IN THE DIET

Dietary fiber is one of the food components resistant to digestive enzymes and is mainly found in grains, fruits and vegetables. Today, the protective effect of dietary fibers against many conditions such as constipation, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, obesity, diabetes and so on is known for sure.

Dietary fiber is one of the food components resistant to digestive enzymes and is mainly found in grains, fruits and vegetables. Today, the protective effect of dietary fibers against many conditions such as constipation, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, obesity, diabetes and so on is known for certain. Dietary fibers are divided into water-soluble and water-insoluble.

Dietary fibers hold organic compounds that are known to be the cause of some diseases associated with the large intestine. Water-insoluble fibers increase bowel movements and prevent constipation.

It has been stated in studies that dietary fiber consumption reduces blood cholesterol levels by more than 20%. Therefore, dietary fiber consumption is important in terms of reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

It has been observed that especially water-soluble fiber reduces postprandial glucose and insulin concentration in individuals with diabetes, as well as in individuals without diabetes. It has also been reported that dietary fibers reduce carbohydrate absorption and postprandial blood sugar levels.

Foods with high dietary fiber content generally increase the amount of mineral substances taken into the body, as they contain higher levels of mineral substances than other foods. In addition, it is reported that dietary fibers have positive effects on the bioavailability of minerals. Increasing dietary fiber consumption is recommended by many health institutions in the world. The daily recommended amount of fiber is 25-30 g/day on average.