In the modern age which is a complex and fast moving era, many people find it difficult to concentrate on health food. Till few years back, we found that our diet mainly consisted of canned foods or junk food which is readily available at the corner shopping mall or supermarket. People preferred the McDonalds, the KFCs or the Pizza-huts over the natural foods which are mostly found in the marketplace. What people tend to forget is that junk foods may easily invite a number of diseases and disorders as we advance in age. The ill-effects of these are mostly known to all.

Now, the trend has started to change. We now have the mantra of staying fit and healthy. For this, importance has to be given to the food we eat. In this Dietary Fiber is a very important ingredient for staying fit and healthy. Fiber is derived from plant sources like fruits, grains or vegetables. These dietary fibers can be consumed through different diets like vegetables, cereals, legumes, whole grains and fruits. The daily intake of fibers helps in keeping many diseases and disorders away.

Nowadays, people are getting more and more conscious about their fitness and having a diet consisting of fiber-rich food is become a new trend among them. People are beginning to realize the health benefits of a fiber-rich diet.

There are a number of advantages of consuming fiber in the food. It is recommended to take 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily by a person in order to eat a balanced diet. The various advantages of dietary fibers are –
•The main function of fiber is to soften up the stools, thus reducing symptoms of constipation. This in turn leads to an improvement in gastrointestinal health of a person.
•The main concern of a person is weight gain. Dietary fiber reduces weight as they contain zero calories while at the same time fiber takes a lot of time to digest and as such gives a feeling of ‘full stomach’.
•It has been found that, in men, consumption of fiber in their daily diet reduces the risk of death due to cancer.
•A higher intake of fiber-rich foods may lower the risk of death from cardiovascular. respiratory and infectious diseases.
•Cholesterol levels can be reduced naturally with daily intake of fiber in the diet.
•Fiber also reduces blood pressure and inflammation.
•Dietary fiber improves the glucose level in the blood thus helping diabetic patients.
•It has also been confirmed that diet rich in fiber can reduce hypertension and heart diseases.

There are basically two types of fibers, insoluble fiber which consists of psyllium and flax seed. On the other hand is the soluble fiber which is found in fruit pectins. Both have different functions e.g. insoluble fibers help in cleansing the interior walls of the bowels & improves bowel movements while soluble fibers prevents disorders such as atherosclerosis and reduces cholesterol.

The intake of fiber should be balanced as overdose or increase in intake may result in some minor disorders such as bowel cramps, intestinal gas or bloating. Another disadvantage of over intake of fiber can be the reduction of calcium, zinc, iron, copper and magnesium minerals in the body which are absorbed by the fiber. These disorders are prominent among children.

There are some habits that have to be followed if one wants to receive his daily intake of fiber in the foods. They may be –
•Try to eat whole fruits instead of consumption of juices. Whole fruits contain rich amount of fiber and are have zero calories as compared to their juices.
•One should always try out new dishes and recipes that are rich in fiber as a monotonous dish can be boring.
•Always add a fruit in your breakfast.
•Oats are a rich source of fiber and as such try to use them as and when required.
•Vegetables such as tomatoes should also be eaten full along with their seeds.

Another addition is the functional fiber. This consists of isolated and non-digestible carbohydrates beneficial for physiological effects. The various sources of this fiber are psyllium, oligofructose, gums, cellulose, chitin and lignins.

Fiber supplements are now available in the form of barn tablets, purified cellulose or powdered psylium or in various laxatives which are used mainly for stool softeners.

The various intakes of fibers that are essential for a person are listed below –
Age (yrs)Daily intake (in gms)
1 – 3 19 – 20
4 – 8 25 – 30
9 – 13 26 – 31
14 – 18 26 – 38
19 – 50 25 – 38
Over 51 21 - 30