Best cardiologist in Gurgaon says add plenty of fiber to your diet. Almost everyone has heard this advice from your doctors, dietician, and fitness trainers. However, people seldom know how exactly fibers can be helpful for your health. The benefits of fibers are multiple folds. It keeps your weight in check, your gut healthy, and significantly reduces the risk of heart diseases. Talking about heart diseases, stroke, and cardiac arrests are one of the leading causes of death in the present day and age.

The Healthy Heart clinic, under the guidance of Dr(Col). Monik Mehta (best heart specialist in Gurgaon) emphasizes on preventing heart problems with lifestyle and dietary changes. Through his 20 years of experience with the Indian army, he has realized that the effect of a sedentary lifestyle and inappropriate diet on your heart. Dr. Mehta encourages and guides his patients to switch to healthy eating habits and reduce the risk of heart issues for the eternal period.

Dietary fibers

Fibers are plant foods that are also called bulk or roughage. Unlike fats, carbohydrates, and protein, fibers are not broken down, digested, and absorbed by your body. In general, fibers are classified into two categories based on their solubility in water.

Soluble fibers

Soluble fibers like peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, barley, oats, etc. get dissolve in the water. They get converted into a gel-like substance upon dissolving and helps reducing cholesterol and glucose level in your blood.

Insoluble fibers

Insoluble fibers are exceptionally helpful if you are suffering from constipation or irregular bowel movements. It increases stool bulk by supporting the material moving through your system. Some rich sources of insoluble fibers are whole wheat flour, nuts, green beans, etc.

Fiber is also classified as dietary and function fibers. Dietary fiber is natural and you get it from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Functional fiber, on the other hand, is made in laboratories in the form of nutrient-rich supplements.

Best fiber choices and quantity you need

Different types of fibers often leave you perplexed. It may be confusing to decide which type of fiber you eat. The cardiologist in Gurgaon suggests not to overthink it. All you should do is to add enough vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, whole grain products, and legumes in your diet. 38 grams of fiber for men and 25 grams for women younger than 50 years is considered the ideal amount. For men and women over 50, the ideal quantity is 30 and 21 grams respectively.

Fiber for heart health

The benefits of fibers for the digestive system are well known. But not many are aware of the benefits it has for a healthy heart. Here are some ways fiber can prevent heart problems and boost your health.

Lower cholesterol

High cholesterol is an invitation to heart diseases. Fibers, particularly soluble fibers bind the cholesterol particles and push them out before these can be absorbed by your body. This helps in reducing bad LDL and cholesterol levels in your body.

Lower the risk of diabetes and stroke

Fiber can protect you against diseases like diabetes and stroke which put a catastrophic effect on your heart. Studies have shown that fibers reduce your diabetes risk by 30 percent and that of stroke by 36 percent. A simple replacement of refined grains by whole grains can significantly save your heart.

Management of blood pressure

In different small studies, it has been found that a high-fiber diet can potentially decrease the blood pressure and pulse pressure thereby reducing the risk of heart problems tied to them.

Management of healthy body weight

Excess weight can put a lot of pressure on your heart and is one of the biggest reasons for heart attacks and other related problems. Fiber is the biggest tool in maintaining healthy body weight and keeps the risk of heart failure at bay. Adding fiber to your diet makes you feel fuller quickly and for longer hours and helps in avoiding irregular unhealthy binging.

How to add fiber share to your diet

Finding tasty fibers is not that difficult. If you also wonder how to add them to your diet, the following suggestions would be of great help.

Healthy beginning of your day

You can choose cereals with whole grains or bran, a minimum of 5 grams a serving to jump-start your day. Alternatively, you can take your favorite cereals and add a tablespoon full of bran in it.

Choose whole grains

Switch at least half of your grain consumption with whole grain. You can choose bread having whole grain or whole wheat as key content, brown rice, wild rice, whole-wheat pasta, etc.

Switch flour for baked food

If you are fond of baked food, you can use whole grain flour instead of white flour. You can also add bran cereals or uncooked oats crushed in your cake, cookies, etc.

Change your snacks

You can add legumes to your soup and salad and replace your munching with fresh fruits and nuts.

A word of caution

According to a Heart specialist in Gurgaon, taking too many fibers can also increase intestinal gas and cramping. Add fibers to your diet gradually and give enough time to your gut bacteria to adjust with it. Drink plenty of water to get the maximum benefit of fiber.

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