Ask Americans about what they think is the biggest problem with their diets and you’ll probably hear a variety of responses…
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In actuality, the greatest problem with the American diet will probably sound decidedly boring to most people: Americans don’t eat nearly enough fiber. That’s right, fiber – the substance associated with bran flakes, old people, and pooping. Just 5% of Americans eat enough of it, and this deficit is contributing to significant health problems.
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Researchers summed up the benefits of fiber intake in a 2017 review:
The fiber component of foods is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, certain gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, and metabolic dysfunctions, including prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, and colorectal, gastric, and breast cancers. Fiber also is associated with digestive benefits, such as increased stool bulk, decreased transit time, and fermentation by colonic microflora.
Read full, original article: The Biggest Problem With the American Diet
