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[[File:Salad.jpg|right|thumb|400px|A salad is a great way of getting fiber.]]
Fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet, and is frequently misunderstood. Fiber does far more than prevent constipation, helping with weight loss [[Weight Loss]] and overall health. Fiber is broadly defined as edible food that cannot be digested in the small intestine, and while some fiber is completely indigestible, other types can be partly digested further down the digestive tract.
=Weight Loss and Fiber=
One of the key benefits of fiber is to help with weight loss [[Weight Loss]] and weight control. Fiber can help with weight loss [[Weight Loss]] in many ways:
* Fiber can slow the emptying of the stomach, and delay the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. This produces a feeling of fullness for longer<ref name="Sepple-1989"/> and fiber (30g/day) reduces hunger from low calorie diets<ref name="Astrup-1990"/>.
* Higher fiber intake is linked to long term weight control<ref name="Du-2010"/><ref name="Appleby-1998"/><ref name="Miller-1994"/><ref name="Davis-2006"/>.
* Fiber displaces the more energy dense components of food<ref name="Holt-1992"/> and can reduce the absorption of fat and protein[[Protein]]<ref name="Livesey-1990"/>.
* Calories from fiber that is fermented varies between 1.5 and 2.5 Calories/gram<ref name="Smith-1998"/><ref name="Livesey-1990"/>.
* Fiber reduces the [[Glycemic Index]] of foods, which may be why fiber reduces subsequent hunger<ref name="Holt-1992"/><ref name="Bourdon-1999"/><ref name="Leathwood-1988"/>.