Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Fibre Supplements

By Donny Yu

Fiber is one of those "magic" substances that has gotten a lot of attention in the world of weight loss marketing in the last few years. The promotional material of a "high fiber" diet has become a byword for a diet that is healthy and, by association, one that is slender. Fiber in your diet is also normally connected with prevention of cancer due to the positive effects of fibre on the lower intestines and colon. So one of the ways you can measure many products, especially breads and cereals is by its fiber content.

It only makes sense then that there would be a rise in interest in diet supplements that dramatically increase the level of fiber in your system. There is no question that a healthy level of fiber in the diet is good for your digestive system. And if your digestive system is working well, that is one of many components of good health, which leads to a healthy weight as well. It should go without saying that just increasing fiber in the diet will not automatically result in weight loss. It is just one good step toward general good health. You must still maintain an overall healthy approach to diet and exercise to see weight loss that can accompany all the good you are doing for your digestive system by increasing the fiber content of your daily diet intake.

The first thing to determine if you feel you want to use supplements to increase the fiber in your dieting is to get a measurement of how much fibre your diet commonly delivers to your body naturally each day. This calls for maintaining some records of foods you usually eat that pull in your fibre count. The general level of fibre consumption that is considered healthy for most people is 25-30 grams of fiber a day. If you are striking that level, supplements are likely not necessary. But if supplements can help you attain your fiber goals, there are sure enough abundant.

Fiber supplements come in just about any form you would need or to fit your lifestyle. They come as a powder that can be mixed with juice with your breakfast in the morning. Fiber add-on pills are good for when you are on the run. There are even cookies or wafers that are fundamentally a supplement for your fiber content that can also serve as a snack to help keep your appetite under control.

The important thing to remember is that these supplements should not take the place of food. You can always increase the fiber content of your diet by simply increasing the level of high fiber certain fruits and vegetables that will accomplish the same goals as the supplements but do so while giving you good food value too. And real foods are cheaper than supplements so it is worth considering just improving your diet anytime you have an option rather than turn to a diet supplement.

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