Benefiber Benefits

Cholesterol lab test result

Image Credit: Rene Drouyer/Hemera/Getty Images The American Dietetic Association recommends consuming approximately 25 to 30 g of fiber each day from plant foods. Fiber is essential to a healthy diet and is found in a variety of foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans. Benefiber offers a variety of products containing wheat dextrin, a form of water-soluble fiber. These products provide many health benefits, as each serving of Benefiber contains 3 g of fiber.

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Digestive Health

The soluble fiber found in Benefiber provides many benefits to the digestive system. In the digestive tract, it absorbs water and forms a gel-like mixture in the intestines. This slows down the digestive process and helps prevent diarrhea or excessively watery stools. MayoClinic.com notes that fiber may also help lower the risk of hemorrhoids or other diseases of the digestive system, such as diverticular disease – a condition involving small pouches in the colon.

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Cardiovascular Health

Adequate intake of soluble fiber is part of a heart-healthy diet. Soluble fiber may help lower blood cholesterol levels by aiding in the elimination of cholesterol from the body. Specifically, soluble fiber has been shown to lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels, or bad cholesterol, according to an article in the October 2008 issue of the “Journal of the American Dietetic Association.” Fiber may also help lower blood pressure and reduce inflammatory markers of cardiovascular disease, such as cytokines.

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Weight Loss

Adding Benefiber to your diet may help you lose weight. Fiber helps increase satiety, the feeling of being full and satisfied after eating, which helps prevent overeating, according to the “Journal of the American Dietetic Association.” It also slows down the emptying of food from the stomach into the intestinal tract, which helps individuals feel fuller longer. Benefiber supplements are also low in calories, allowing for daily use without adding unnecessary or excessive calories to meals.

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Easy to Use

Benefiber is available in a variety of forms for easy administration. As a tasteless powder, Benefiber may easily be mixed with different foods or drinks, such as applesauce, yogurt or coffee. It may be safely cooked without altering the benefits of fiber, allowing it to be easily added to bakery items or sauces and soups. Benefiber is also available as a chewable or easy-to-swallow capsule. The chewable tablets come in several different flavors and are sugar free. All Benefiber products are also free of gluten.

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  references & resources
  
      Drugs.com: Benefiber
    
      American Dietetic Association: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber
    
      MayoClinic.com: Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet
    
      MedlinePlus: Soluble vs. insoluble fiber
    
      Colorado State University Extension: Dietary Fiber
    
      Dietary Fiber Guide: High Fiber Foods
       




  references & resources
  
      Drugs.com: Benefiber
    
      American Dietetic Association: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber
    
      MayoClinic.com: Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet
    
      MedlinePlus: Soluble vs. insoluble fiber
    
      Colorado State University Extension: Dietary Fiber
    
      Dietary Fiber Guide: High Fiber Foods
    




Cholesterol lab test result

Image Credit: Rene Drouyer/Hemera/Getty Images

      Drugs.com: Benefiber
    
      American Dietetic Association: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber
    
      MayoClinic.com: Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet
    
      MedlinePlus: Soluble vs. insoluble fiber
    
      Colorado State University Extension: Dietary Fiber
    
      Dietary Fiber Guide: High Fiber Foods