To most of us, fiber is fiber. We know that it helps us digest our food, and… that’s about it. There’s quite a bit more to it than that. If you’re a nutritionist, there are stacks and stacks of books you could read on the subject, but if you just want to know what ingredients go into Herbalife Nutrition Active Fiber Complex, we can break that down for you pretty fast.
Both Kinds of Fiber
Fiber can be divided into soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. To function properly, your body needs both of these, and plenty of water, about four quarts a day. Here’s how these three ingredients help:
- Soluble Fiber. Soluble fiber is found in foods like nuts and seeds, barley, beans, and lentils. “Soluble” means that it dissolves in water, turning into a gel. Soluble fibers are prebiotic. They ferment in the colon and help to produce helpful bacteria.
- Insoluble Fiber. Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran and many vegetables like celery. “Insoluble” means that it absorbs water, but does not dissolve in it. This allows it to hold as it passes through the body, adding bulk and assisting your body in processing food and waste through your digestive system.
- Water. Drinking water as you eat or after a meal is critical to proper digestion. As explained, fiber can only do its job with water to absorb. If you ever notice that you’re thirsty after a big meal, especially when you feel like you couldn’t fit another bite in your stomach, this is why.
It can also help to do some abdominal exercises in your daily routine. You can work your core with walking, jogging, running, biking, or doing some crunches in the morning.
This is helpful because digestion is not strictly a chemical process but a physical process as well. It takes some abdominal energy to work a day’s meals through your digestive system. Talking a walk after a meal can help to stimulate the muscles in your core to help the food process more effectively.
Getting Enough Fiber?
A typical adult woman should get around 25g of fiber every day, while men should get 38g. When you have time, it’s a good idea to read the nutritional information on what you’re eating and make sure that you’re getting enough dietary fiber in a day.
But, we don’t always have the time. Between your responsibilities at work and home, it can be tough finding the time to eat in the first place, let alone measuring out so many quarter-cups of bran flakes before breakfast.
With the Herbalife ingredients in Active Fiber Complex, you can promote regularity and minimize bloating with a 5g scoop in a glass of water or with a meal replacement shake. Simple, quick, easy, with no research or extensive prep-work required.
A great thing about fiber is that your body doesn’t care where it comes from. Whether you’re having fiber from a bowl of cereal or a sandwich with whole-wheat bread, your body is going to be able to make use of it just the same no matter how it finds its way into your stomach.
When you have time to sit down for a meal, there’s nothing like enjoying a plate of hot food with everything your body needs. But when you don’t have the time, you’re doing your body a disservice to rush through a whole lunch in seconds. Take your time and enjoy your food when you can, and take a little extra fiber now and then to make up the difference.