By now you’ve probably heard us say that fiber is essential to your diet.    But you may not understand how fiber works and why it is so important for not only colon health, but overall health.

When there is enough fiber in your diet, the fiber in the colon ferments and changes into beneficial bacteria.  This provides numerous health benefits including destruction of other harmful bacteria found in the colon.   Fiber keeps your colon and gastrointestinal tract healthy by normalizing bowel movements and lowering your risk of developing hemorrhoids.

A high fiber diet also helps maintain blood sugar levels and controls cholesterol by blocking the absorption of fat and cholesterol from foods. Doctors suggest most adults eat 30-35 grams of fiber a day. Most people only eat half this amount so pay attention to how much fiber you are actually ingesting to make sure you are getting enough.

This visual shows you exactly how fiber works in different parts of the body and offers suggestions for getting your soluble and insoluble fiber.