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Armor Against E. Coli: Fiber
This Week's Tips
Fiber is fab. You already eat it to stay regular and to feel fuller longer. Now there's another reason: gut protection.
Research shows that fiber-rich foods help derail illness-causing bacteria that may otherwise have you running for the bathroom.
Bacteria Bound
In a lab study, researchers exposed a variety of foods to several strains of E. coli and Salmonella. The results? The bacteria adhered to fibrous foods -- like pumpkin, artichoke, and flax. A good thing, because if the bacteria latches on to intestinal tissues instead, it might have some gut-churning consequences. There's something in salsa that may protect your tummy, too.
Fun Fiber Facts
Here are a couple more fabulous fiber finds:
- It fuels weight loss. Because it digests slowly, it puts off hunger pangs. Here's the best time to eat it.
- It may lower the odds of endometrial cancer by as much as 20 percent. Find out what daily dose reduced the risk.
Watch this video for tasty ways to sneak more fiber into your diet.
RealAge Benefit:
Eating 25 grams (38 grams if you are a man under 50) of fiber per day makes your RealAge 2.5 years younger than eating 12 grams of fiber per day.
Food and feed components for gut health-promoting adhesion of E. coli and Salmonella enterica. Becker, P., Galletti, S., Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2008 Jul 17; 88(11):2026-2035.
