The healthful attributes of fiber have long been touted, even if those benefits may have been misunderstood.
At one time, fiber was thought to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, a benefit which has been disproven. Nevertheless, fiber does have its selling points that leave it with a definitively healthful aura: it slightly reduces bad (LDL) cholesterol; it improves insulin resistance (a common precursor to diabetes); and it is linked to a lower rate of heart disease and obesity. In the latter case, it does so by increasing the bulk of foods and creates a feeling of fullness.