High Five to Fiber: A Vital Guide to Your Health's Best Friend
Understanding your 'best friend', fiber, begins with knowing what it is and how it functions in your body. Fiber, also known as roughage, is a type of carbohydrate that the body can't digest. They pass through the human body undigested, keeping your digestive system clean and healthy, easing bowel movements, and flushing cholesterol and harmful carcinogens out of the body. Fiber falls into two categories: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, which dissolves in water, can help lower glucose levels as well as help lower blood cholesterol. Insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve in water, can help move food through your digestive system, promoting regularity and helping prevent constipation. Each type functions in its own way, and both are integral to optimum health.