People usually associate fiber with colon health. Out of all the necessary nutrients we’re supposed to intake, fiber’s probably the least appreciated of all, regardless of how healthy it is.
Here’s our hot take: fiber is more than what meets the eye. In fact, it’s actually the secret to good-looking skin from the inside out. Aside from keeping your gut healthy and helping maintain your cholesterol levels at an average, daily dose of fiber will help you achieve your beauty goals.
Still finding it hard to believe? Read further to be convinced.
The benefits of fiber
According to Lo Bosworth, the founder and CEO of Love Wellness, a women’s care products line, nobody talks about the beauty benefits of fiber.
“Fiber alleviates bloating, it helps with weight management, because it keeps you full for longer, it helps with energy, and it helps with amazing hair, skin, and nails.”
While people are busy taking collagen and vitamin C just to get good skin, fiber remains as one of the nutrients people don’t include enough in their diet.
If you’re taking beauty supplements, it’s best to take it with enough levels of fiber, because your supplements might not be maximized if you are skipping on enough fiber intake.
Nutritionist and author of The Candida Diet, Lisa Richards, CNC, tells that fiber is essential for the “increased absorption of essential nutrients and antioxidants.” Specific nutrients such as vitamin C, lycopene, and lutein are essential for collagen synthesis, and taking enough fiber boosts your digestive system’s absorption of the mentioned nutrients.
How does fiber bring these benefits?
Imagine fiber as a sponge that passes through your gastrointestinal tract. It possesses cleansing properties that renders your digestive system clean and lowers bad cholesterol.
If you don’t have enough fiber passing through your system, it may lead to poor gut health. And what does it mean? It can lead to inflammation, which can contribute to skin dryness and acne.
While there is not a direct correlation to hair, skin, and nail health, registered dietitian Susan Piergeorge, MS, RDN, says that consuming a fiber-rich diet will provide enough nutrients to support optimal health and wellness.
If this is not yet enough to convince you to increase your fiber intake, experts urge people to eat vegetables and low-carb foods first before trying out supplements. There’s nothing better than taking necessary nutrients from foods.
Where can you get fiber?
Now, how are you going to get better gut health and glowing, hydrated skin all at once? It all boils down to prebiotic fiber, the type of fiber usually found in onions, artichokes, bananas, whole grains, and garlic.
You can make slow changes in your diet by slowly incorporating whole grain and high-fiber foods in your diet. Try to lessen your processed food intake to improve your overall health. In addition to a healthy, balanced diet, it’s also important to engage in regular exercise to achieve better results.
Here are some tips that can help improve your fiber intake so you can achieve that glowing, healthy skin from the inside out.
1. Eat whole grain cereals, including whole wheat bread.
2. Add wheat bran to your usual wheat flour. Follow the proportion 1:1.
3. If you’re taking a diet that’s filled with refined carbohydrates and processed foods, replace it with a high-fiber diet that contains between 40 to 60 percent of complex carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and between 10 and 15 percent of fats.
4. Focus on eating leafy greens. They are the ones that you should pay attention to: spinach, radish leaves, sprouts, and mustard leaves. Don’t forget to drink carrot juice or coriander juice to speed up your beauty goals. Make sure they are packed with antioxidants and fiber. You can also create your own vegetable salad to make your meals more enjoyable for you.
5. Fruits have fiber too, including papaya, grapes, prunes, pears, and pineapples are rich in fiber content, as well as in other essential nutrients too.
6. Instead of eating potato chips, pizza, and burger for snacks, opt for the healthy ones like nuts and seeds.
7. Foods such as barley and oats contain a kind of fiber known as beta glucan, which may help reduce cholesterol levels.