By now, most of us know that fiber, like sleep and water, is something we could use more of. It has been considered a wonder product for everything from healthy digestion to weight loss.
He USDA Dietary Guidelines It is recommended that women consume at least 22 to 28 grams of fiber per day and that men consume at least 28 to 34 grams of fiber per day, depending on age. But the average American only eats about 16 grams of fiber per day, according to the USDA.
Can fiber water, a relative newcomer to the growing wellness water market, help close that gap? Here’s what you need to know.
Can water with fiber help you lose weight?
In studies, high-fiber diets have been shown to help you lose and maintain weight. Dietary fiber can help you feel full, which can help prevent overeating.
From fiber water to fiber supplementsPeople are looking for easy ways to incorporate this essential nutrient into their lifestyles.
“There are 175,000 people a week searching for some type of fiber on Amazon,” says Rusty Jones, co-founder of the fiber-infused beverage company. Hello water.
Jones and co-founder Tom Bushkie, a certified nutritionist, developed Hellowater to fill what they saw as a white space in the beverage market.
“We went to a food scientist with the idea of creating a high-fiber water in a ready-to-drink format that could act as an appetite suppressant,” Jones says.
Jones says his most important goal in developing fiber water was to help people manage their weight and promote healthy blood sugar levels.
“Fiber is a nutrient that helps with digestion and helps manage healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levelsThat’s why we need it,” explains Jones.
What exactly is in fiber water?
There are two main types of dietary fiber:
- Soluble fiber It helps you feel fuller longer, helps manage healthy cholesterol levels, and helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
- insoluble fiber It is primarily responsible for adding bulk to stool and maintaining regularity.
Your body needs both types of fiber to help proper digestion.
Fiber water contains soluble fiber, along with natural flavors and sweeteners. But is fiber water just an age-old version of your grandmother’s fiber powder? Not quite.
Unlike traditional fiber supplements that are mixed with water, fiber water is clear, non-gritty, and contains only soluble fiber.
According the label, one bottle of Hellowater prebiotic drink provides 5 grams of fiber (specifically, inulin derived from chicory root) per serving. That’s about 20 percent of the recommended daily value for fiber based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
In total, the composition is about 98 percent water and 2 percent inulin, according to Jones.
Is fiber water good for you?
If most of us could use more water and There is more fiber in our lives, so putting them together in a fiber drink seems to be the best solution for everyone.
“People are trying to find other ways to incorporate fiber,” he says Kristi Rey, MPH, RDN, LD, CNSC. “Water with fiber could be one way to achieve this, which is not necessarily a bad thing. But it shouldn’t be your main source of fiber.”
To put it in perspective, a bottle of Hellowater has about the same amount of fiber as a apple. However, when you eat an apple with its peel on, you are becoming soluble. and insoluble fiber, as well as important antioxidants like vitamin C and minerals like potassium, King explains.
Certain fiber supplements also provide soluble and insoluble fiber. Improve digestive health with Shakeology Provides 7 grams of dietary fiber, including insoluble fiber from chia and flaxseed and soluble fiber from psyllium husk.
Should you consume fiber and water together?
That said, it’s important to drink water with any high-fiber diet. “Even if you’re eating a cup of carrots, it’s important to drink the right amount of fluids throughout the day,” says King. “Fluids help move things through the system. “If you eat a high-fiber diet, not staying hydrated could cause gastrointestinal discomfort or gas.”
He also warns that when you increase the amount of fiber you consume, it is important to do so incrementally.
Drinking several bottles of fiber water or an entire bag of baby carrots to double your fiber intake overnight could be a shock to your system and any coworkers sitting nearby.
