Fibers. You often see them pop up on various food blogs or even on Instagram. But what exactly are fibers? Do we actually need them at all? We’re about to answer all your questions about dietary fiber. So feel free to read on!

What are dietary fibers

Dietary fiber, or fiber for short, is a group of carbohydrates that are not digested or absorbed by our small intestine. So they move on, undigested, to your large intestine.

Just don’t be put off by the word “indigestible”. Fibers are in fact very useful to our body.

They increase the immune system of your intestines by feeding the good bacteria that live there. This way, they keep the digestive wall healthy and help remove excess cholesterol, fat and toxins from our bodies.

Why is fiber healthy & important?

Dietary fiber therefore contributes to good digestion and smooth bowel movements. This means high-fiber foods can prevent digestive problems and bowel movement issues. On top of that, existing symptoms can also be reduced or even disappear entirely with a high-fiber diet.

Fiber helps with diarrhea as well as constipation. Because fiber binds with moisture, it can only do its job properly if you also drink enough. Failure to do so can cause hard and dry bowel movements.

With diarrhea, the sponge effect of the fibers causes the stool to become a little firmer. With constipation, this sponge effect results in better stimulated bowel function, thus making bowel movements softer.

However, the properties of dietary fiber go far beyond just supporting healthy digestion. In fact, fiber keeps blood sugar levels healthy and thus reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.

In addition, they improve the absorption of calcium – which is essential for healthy bones – and also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Studies are also increasingly finding a link between fiber and the incidence of colon cancer . However, additional scientific research is needed to know whether this is about fiber coming from vegetables, fruits, whole grain products or a combination of these.

Last but not least, a high-fiber diet also helps you feel satiated more quickly after eating. This way you’re less likely to be tempted by unhealthy snacks in between meals, it becomes easier to achieve your ideal weight, and especially to maintain it.

So you see: the benefits of fiber are plentiful!

What types of fibers are there?

Our food contains not just one type of fiber, but a mixture of many different types of fiber. All these different types of fiber actually have different effects on our bodies. In addition, our intestines need all these different types of fiber to function properly.

Fermentable or soluble fiber

These fibers are broken down by bacteria in your colon. As a result, they provide a minimal amount of energy. However, their main job is to make sure the mass in your intestines stays smooth. So they oversee, as it were, a good flow that in turn is conducive to a smooth bowel movement.

You’ll mainly find these fermentable fibers in legumes such as lentils and beans, cereals, pasta, bananas, potatoes and bread.

Non-fermentable or insoluble fibers

These fibers are not broken down by your body and don’t provide energy as a result. Yet they have a usefulness that isn’t negligible. In fact, they increase the volume of your intestinal content, which provides a satiating effect. In addition, these fibers are also beneficial to proper bowel movements.

Non-fermentable fiber is found in cereal products such as wheat, but also in vegetables, peas, cabbage and apples.

Why is a variety of fiber essential?

Despite the fact that most fiber will have more than one positive effect on your overall health, there is currently no single fiber that combines all the potential benefits.

Some effects are provided by a whole bunch of fibers, whilst other effects can rather be linked to a specific type of fiber.

That’s why it’s important to eat different types of fiber on a daily basis. Only then will you be able to enjoy all the positive effects on your health.

How does Zùsto help with your daily fiber intake?

That’s also why Zùsto is composed of different types of dietary fiber. In fact, our sugar substitute contains a well-thought-out mix of different fibers, each of which brings its own benefits through their prebiotic effects.

Zùsto even contains no less than 64.7 grams of fiber per 100 grams of Zùsto, which is a whole lot! There are a lot of people who don’t get enough fiber on a daily basis. So Zùsto ensures that your fiber intake gets a nice boost.

The patented blend also provides a satiated feeling and offers a good breeding ground for the bacteria in our intestines.

Ultimately, the fibers in Zùsto ensure an optimal digestive tolerance, the optimization of health benefits through a variety of dietary fibers, and mimic the functional properties of sugar in numerous applications.

Conclusion

Fiber is immensely important for healthy digestion, your gut flora and your overall health. For example, fiber provides a feeling of satiety and assists in the proper absorption of calcium for healthy bones. In addition, they reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer.

So a balanced diet that provides you enough fiber is invaluable!

Zùsto is more than happy to help you with this. Thanks to the high fiber content in Zùsto, it contributes to your daily fiber intake and to your health!

Give it a try now!

What are dietary fibers? All the facts & benefits