If you feel mental fatigue, irritability or lack of concentration, then the reason for this may be the lack of fiber in your plate. Make changes in your food from today itself and improve the health of your mind along with your stomach. Because only when the gut is healthy, the mind will also be healthy.

low fiber effects- diet and depression: We often associate fiber only with digestion, but recent research by AIIMS shows that its deficiency can also have a profound effect on mental health. That is, if there is not enough fiber in your diet, it can also affect your mental balance, mood and mental stability. This research has revealed that people who eat low-fiber food for a long time have problems like anxiety, irritability and even depression.

About 100 people were included in this study conducted by the Department of Physiology of AIIMS Delhi . Half of these people were given a high-fibre diet and half were given a low-fibre diet. During the research, it was found that people taking a high-fibre diet had significantly less stress and irritability, while those taking a low-fibre diet had symptoms like mood swings, insomnia and difficulty in concentrating.

How does fiber deficiency deteriorate mental health?

Fiber is essential for our digestive system , but it also affects the gut-brain axis. Gut-brain axis means a direct connection between the stomach and the brain. When we eat fiber-rich food, the good bacteria present in our intestines remain active. These bacteria produce certain compounds that affect the mood regulating hormones of the brain (such as serotonin). When the health of the intestines deteriorates, the balance of these hormones can also deteriorate, which affects mental health.

Why does fiber deficiency occur?

In today's lifestyle of fast food and processed food, people consume more ready-to-eat items instead of vegetables, fruits and grains. These contain almost no fiber. Apart from this, the lack of whole grains, legumes and green vegetables in the diet is also a big reason. Packaged snacks instead of fruits in breakfast, outside food in the afternoon and eating less vegetables with roti at night - all these habits gradually lead to a lack of fiber.

How to fulfil the deficiency of fibre?

To replenish fiber, make some necessary changes in your diet. Include whole grains like oats, brown rice, millet and barley. Fruits like apple, guava, banana, papaya and pear are rich in fiber. Include green vegetables like spinach, fenugreek, ridge gourd, ladyfinger and bottle gourd in your daily diet. Apart from this, include raw ingredients like cucumber, carrot and tomato in the salad.