You are here: DIME Home > Diet and Weight Loss > High Fiber Foods with FOS are Essential for a Healthy Diet

High Fiber Foods with FOS are Essential for a Healthy Diet

Many health conscious people do not realize that they need FOS from certain high fiber foods. What is it, why do you need it, and where can you acquire it?

Author: Everett Smith
Date: Aug 25, 2011 - 4:20:57 PM

Printer friendly page

It's no surprise that you need plenty of high fiber foods for optimal physical condition and some fiber rich foods provide a substance that you need on a daily basis; FOS. Here, you'll learn about FOS; what it is, where to get it, and why you need it often.

FOS is the standard acronym for “fructooligosaccharide”. These are complex carbohydrates, or sugars that exist naturally in high fiber foods such as garlic, onions, leeks, oats, barley, rye and chicory root. One distinguishing characteristic of FOS is that it helps the body generate its' own useful bacteria in the digestive system. This is what is referred to as a "pro-biotic". It's the opposite of an antibiotic, which not only destroys the unfavorable bacteria in the digestive system but may also destroy some of the fortifying bacteria that you need.

One reason you need high fiber foods with fructooligosaccharide daily is to promote the development of helpful bacteria, such as Acidophilus, Bifidus, and Faccium. Another is to assimilate nutrients from all food more effectively. Most high fiber foods just sweep the intestinal walls, but FOS also assists in healthy digestion by helping to increase assimilation of nutrients through the intestinal walls. In addition, you may be able to minimize bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels by trapping fat and cholesterol in the intestinal tract, so they can be flushed out and eliminated more effectively with other high fiber foods.

FOS is useful to assist in the assimilation of complex carbohydrates, making them longer lasting, which is good for energy as well as blood sugar control and the reduction of cravings for sweets. Fructooligosaccharide from high fiber foods can help reduce yeast infections, Candida, or bloating and provide a natural way to handle symptoms of constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or lactose intolerance. Another thing to recognize about FOS is that it is being used in all natural, low calorie sweetener substitutes to take the place of artificial sweeteners and processed sugar.

How do you get FOS in your diet on a regular basis? Eat a lot of high fiber foods such as oats, rye, chicory root, or garlic. However, these are not the kinds of foods that the average person eats often enough to truly experience the benefits of fructooligosaccharide. Luckily, with today's advanced high fiber foods there are ways to obtain this valuable substance without eating so much bulk. Browse the web for all natural fiber drinks and fiber bars that include FOS in the ingredients list.

You won't become aware of these modern FOS sources in average retail supermarkets or health food stores, but they are effortlessly found online. Checkout additional ways to get fructooligosaccharide and experience for yourself the benefits of this notable nutrient from high fiber foods.

View all articles by Everett Smith

Author Cliff Everett Smith is one of the owners of http://www.besthealthfoodstore.net/index.html, an Internet health food store that is a valuable resource of information on concentrated high fiber foods and fiber drinks with FOS.

Link to this article:

Follow & Share Your Favorite Video Articles

Tell a Friend About This Site

Tweet about this site

Follow @dimeco

Recommended Associates

Do you write?

Would you like submit your articles and have them approved on a priority status? Find out more about how you can become a Priority author for pennies a day! Click here.