Insoluble Fiber Foods

Dietary fiber or roughage is the coarse, indigestible part of the plant food, the bulk of which stimulates movement of food through intestines easily, and ultimately making stool passage regular and less strenuous. Dietary fiber is classified further as soluble and insoluble fiber.

Soluble fiber is responsible for producing fatty acids which provide energy to the body. It is further fermented by the bacteria present in the colon (part of the large intestine between cecum and the rectum) to produce fatty acids.

Whereas, insoluble fiber helps to keep the food moving through the digestive tract, bulks up the stool and makes their passage easy. Hence, including dietary fibers in the daily diet is very important to keep away or reduce constipation and other intestinal problems.

Insoluble fiber is the most vital part of a healthy diet. Like said earlier, it makes the digestion process easy and allows smooth passage of the waste from our body. Foods rich in insoluble fiber are filling but not fattening. These fibers also slow down the absorption of fat from the food that we eat.

Thus, including these in your daily diet works as a weight control or weight losing perk. These fibers absorb all the extra water in the digestive tract and retains water in the stools, making them soft and bulky, promoting the passage of stools regularly and smoothly. Therefore, it decreases the risk for colon cancer and hemorrhoids.

They are also referred to as cleansers of the digestive tract. As per the published reports of the America Heart Association, insoluble fibers can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases as well. They also help in treating or preventing diverticulosis (presence of multiple hernias in the walls of the colon).

Fiber is the indigestible part of a plant, hence, they are mainly found in plant foods. Milk, eggs, and meat, hardly contain any amount of insoluble fibers. Fruits, vegetables grains and nuts, along with their skin are the richest sources of insoluble fibers that provide roughage for the fibers to perform their function up to the mark.

Drying, polishing, removal of seeds or peels reduce the fiber content. Moreover, consuming a lot of water along with the fibrous food is very beneficial and important. For insoluble fibers to do cleansing work properly, adequate amount of water is required for absorption, or it may absorb water and other nutrients, which may be needed elsewhere by the body.

Here's a list of high insoluble fiber food that must be included in our daily diet for easy passage of food from the digestive tract, facilitating smooth and quick movement of stools.

✰ Beans
✰ Broccoli
✰ Fenugreek
✰ Potatoes
✰ Zucchini
✰ Cauliflower
✰ Spinach
✰ Tomatoes

✰ Cucumber
✰ Cabbage
✰ Eggplant
✰ Lettuces
✰ Corns
✰ Carrots
✰ Kale
✰ Leafy greens
✰ Turnips
✰ Celery
✰ Beetroot
✰ Onions

✰ Apple
✰ Sweet limes
✰ Pineapple
✰ Plums
✰ Pear
✰ Banana
✰ Strawberries
✰ Tangerine
✰ Blue berries

✰ Prunes
✰ Papaya
✰ Avocado
✰ Grapefruit
✰ Apricots
✰ Black berries
✰ Kiwifruit
✰ Orange
✰ Peach
✰ Cherries
✰ Figs

✰ Brown rice
✰ Flax seed
✰ Legumes
✰ Black beans
✰ Oat bran
✰ Whole wheat
✰ Navy beans
✰ Barley

✰ Wheat bran
✰ Wild rice
✰ Popcorn
✰ Guar gum
✰ Sesame seed
✰ Brussels sprouts
✰ Kidney beans
✰ Rye seeds
✰ Mustard seeds
✰ Barley bran
✰ Red beans
✰ Hemp seeds

✰ Almonds
✰ Peanuts
✰ Sunflower seeds
✰ Soybean nuts
✰ Walnuts

The ideal intake of fibers for an individual is around 25 grams per day. To sustain a fit and healthy life, one ought to include fibrous food in the daily diet. The next time you pay a visit to your relatives or friends place, gift them an apple or orange fruit basket... full of fibrous fruits!!! Eat healthy food and encourage the same. Stay fit!