Eating fiber? Why should you care? After all, it cannot be digested by the human body. It has no nutritional value. In many forms, it is not that pleasant to eat. However, as we will discover, adequate fiber in your diet is vital for your good health.

Dietary fiber takes the form of water soluble and water insoluble. Each of these contributes to our well being but in different ways.

Taking an adequate amount of dietary fiber will help you in many ways:

• Inadequate fiber in our diet may cause hard and difficult to pass stools, leading to training. This can lead to other serious problems.
• Insoluble fiber increases the weight, size and softens the stool which can prevent and treat divertricular disease (weakening of the walls of the colon).
• May aid with problems such as hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and the development of small pouches in your colon as detected in a colonoscopy examination.
• Can contribute to the lowering of cholesterol levels.
• If you have or are susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes, a high fiber diet may slow the absorption of sugar into your system.

Sources of high dietary fiber include:

• Cereals: 100% Bran, Corn Bran, Bran Buds, All Bran
• Legumes: Baked beans, Kidney beans, Lintels, Navy beans
• Breads: Bran muffins, Crisp rye bread
• Pasta/Rice: Wheat spaghetti
• Vegetables: Cooked split peas, Red kidney beans, corn
• Fruits: Apple with skin, Raspberries, Strawberries, Prunes, Pear, Figs

It has been recommended that men over fifty consume at least thirty grams and women over fifty consume at least 21 gram of fiber a day.

As you increase the fiber in your diet, be sure to consume plenty of liquids, preferably six to eight glasses a day.

By providing adequate dietary fiber into your daily meals, you will be making a significant contribution to living a longer and healthy life.