March is National Nutrition Month and Colon Cancer Awareness Month. So, what better way to celebrate the end of March and propel us through the rest of the year than to discuss the health benefits of fiber?

Fiber has more benefits than just being able to cure constipation. It is a powerful contributor to reducing your risk of colon cancer, and it can help lower your risk of heart disease. Further, fiber has a hypoglycemic effect, which is ideal for those with diabetes. It is also commonly incorporated to weight management plans. Bottom line: Fiber can help you in a multitude of ways, and it is to your advantage to include this roughage in your diet.

The average person is aware that fiber is good for you, for this is something that is stressed in almost every cereal commercial. But, what exactly is it? The Mayo Clinic classifies fiber as “all parts of plant foods that your body can’t digest or absorb.” Basically, it is just passing through our GI tract. It has no intention of making its way into our blood, like fats, proteins, and other carbohydrates do.

The University of California San Francisco Medical Center, states that the average American is only consuming 15 grams of fiber per day. Yet the adequate intake (AI) of fiber is 25 grams/day for women and 38 grams/day for men. This is based on 14 grams/1,000 kcal and is the minimum amount required to receive health benefits. This means the United States, on average, is only getting about half the dietary fiber our body really needs. What a shame! To steer you toward the fiber track, here are ten amazing health benefits (including colon cancer prevention) of roughage.

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10. Fibers can be PRE-biotics

Pre(and pro)biotics have made their way into our main stream media. It is all about maintaining a healthy gut, and they are right! Prebiotics are nondigestible and aid in the generation of microbial growth in our intestines. Our gut is maintained by a multitude of crucial microorganisms, like bacteria, that help maintain normal body regulations.

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9. Enhance Satiety

Certain kinds of fiber are thought to enhance satiety, although studies are mixed. It is this sensation of feeling full earlier and longer, that helps people consume less calories throughout their day. Thus, fiber can be a beneficial addition to one’s diet when managing body weight.

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8. Hypoglycemic Effect

Fiber can help maintain blood glucose levels by slowing the absorption of sugar. This is great for people with diabetes, who do not produce enough insulin to control the amount of glucose in their blood.

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7. Substitution Effect

Naturally, when you are filling up your diet with fiber and unsaturated (“good”) fats, there will be less room to include saturated (“bad”) fats and cholesterol. This substitution effect can help lower your blood cholesterol levels and be beneficial for your heart and weight management.

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6. Fights Heart Disease

In addition to the substitution effect, fiber can bind to dietary cholesterol in your gut. This binding effect reduces the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed, limiting the amount that enters your bloodstream. Fiber can also bind bile acids. With a higher defecation of bile acids, your body will have to use your cholesterol to make more bile acids. This way cholesterol is being used for good rather than bad.

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5. Propionate Lowers Cholesterol

Further, the fermentation of fiber in our gut produces something called short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs consist of propionate, acetate, and butyrate. Propionate can help lower blood cholesterol levels by inhibiting an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, which is a key regulator of cholesterol synthesis in our bodies. By inhibiting this enzyme, our bodies will make less endogenous cholesterol.

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4. Butyrate Fuels the Colon

Butyrate, another short chain fatty acid next to propionate, is a favorite energy source for colon cells. It appears to have the ability to promote our good cells, while hindering our dangerous cancer-causing cells. Butyrate also helps to reduce inflammation, and inflammation has a direct correlation with the development of colon cancer.

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3. Detoxification

Non-fermentable or slowly fermented fibers enhance microbial proliferation. This can shut out toxins that are in the body, and even slow the conversion of pro-carcinogens to carcingoens. Not all bacteria is bad, especially when it comes to our gut.

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2. Fights Against Tumor Formation

The short chain fatty acids produced by fermentable fiber also stimulates an acidic environment to be present. This low pH is able to inhibit tumors from growing, and its all due to our good friends propionate, acetate, and butyrate. It is said that at least half of the Western population will develop at least one tumor in the colon by the age of 70. It is important to take preventative measures so we can lower this statistic, so fiber up!

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1. Increases Fecal Volume

An increase in fecal volume is great! An increase in fecal bulk means less transit time through your gut and more frequent stops to the bathroom. This reduces contact time of harmful carcinogens with the inner lining of your GI tract and its epithelial cells, thus lowering your risk of colon cancer yet again!