Even for people who typically have high insulin levels, the fiber-rich cereals created more gradual adjustments to blood sugar and insulin levels, whereas the low-fiber cereal caused the sharp fluctuations that cause those miserable hunger symptoms.

To avoid that misery, I have my own patients eat a breakfast that’s high in fiber or low-fat protein. Either choice keeps insulin levels and blood sugar in check, while the typical low-fiber choices of processed cereal, bagels or, worst of all—donuts!—will only leave them starving again by 10 a.m.

Constipation

Not only does fiber speed up the journey of food through the intestines because of the bulk it adds, but people on high fiber diets also have stronger colon muscles. These muscles push the food along more rapidly that do the weak colon muscles of people who eat mostly soft foods.

By eating foods high in fiber, you can be assured of more frequent, easier bowel movements. I recommend dietary fiber as the safest and most effective way to prevent constipation.

Evidence also suggests that high fiber diet can protect us against heart disease and strokes. Research findings show that people who eat significant amounts of soluble fiber have low levels of the type of blood cholesterol that’s associated with these conditions. Insoluble fiber, while beneficial in other ways, doesn’t have this effect.

Diabetes

People with diabetes have problems controlling their levels of blood glucose—the sugar found in the bloodstream. Research indicates that soluble fiber in the diet may improve this control, often reducing the insulin requirements of diabetic patients.

How does this happen? Scientists believe that some fibers may delay the digestive process enough that sugar is released into the bloodstream more slowly. Such slow release allows the body to handle the sugar as it becomes available. The positive effect of fiber is more pronounced in people with adult-onset diabetes than in those who have had the disease since childhood. Other factors may be at work too. Diets high in fiber are usually high in vegetable starches. Foods containing these starches promote stable levels of blood glucose, while sugary foods cause rapid changes as glucose levels go up and down. For this reason, many physicians advise their diabetic patients to increase the amount of fiber in their diets.

THROUGH THICK & THIN

Good research shows that if you just add more fiber to your diet, you’ll probably lose weight, even if you’re not trying. Most Americans should double the amount of fiber they eat, and if you really want a quick health and weight benefit, try cutting some of those empty junk-food calories and replacing them with good low-calorie fiber sources.

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