What Is Fiber?
Fiber is a virtually indigestible substance that is found mainly in the outer layers of plants. Fiber is a special type of carbohydrate that passes through the human digestive system virtually unchanged, without being broken down into nutrients. Carbohydrates constitute the main source of energy for all body functions.
Almost everyone hears about the need for enough fiber in the diet. But few people understand the importance of dietary fiber - or where to get it.
Fiber is important because it has an influence on the digestion process from start to finish:
Fiber slows digestion and absorption so that glucose (sugar) in food enters the bloodstream more slowly, which keeps blood sugar on a more even level.
These acids also provide fuel for the rest of the body, especially the liver, and may have an important role in metabolism.
Substantial amounts of fiber can be found in foods such as:
Nice To Know: Only plants produce fiber. No matter how chewy or "tough" animal products may be, they do not contain fiber - not even bones or eggshells.
There are two main types of fiber, and they have different effects on the body:
Insoluble fiber is mainly made up of plant cell walls, and it cannot be dissolved in water. It has a good laxative action.
Soluble fiber is made up of polysaccharides (carbohydrates that contain three or more molecules of simple carbohydrates), and it does dissolve in water. It has a beneficial effect on body chemistry, such as lowering blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Nice To Know:
Dietary fiber is essentially the cell walls of plants. Cell walls provide the architecture or skeleton of a plant and serve several purposes:
They enclose and package the nutritious parts of the plant, especially the storage organs that are rich in starch, and the parts of the cells that contain sugars, vitamins, and minerals.
They provide a tough protective armor around the embryo of the future plant.
Nice To Know:
The understanding that fiber is good for you is relatively new. Until the 1970s, fiber was regarded, at best, as a nonentity - and at worst, as a hindrance to good nutrition. This attitude stemmed from years of food shortages and widespread under-nutrition, when the aim was "getting the most out of food."
Today, obesity is the most common form of malnutrition and is a factor in the two major causes of death - heart disease and cancers. So any food that helps people limit calories is desirable.
It was a naval doctor, T.L. Cleave (1906-83) who sparked the great re-think about fiber. He argued that refined or fiber-depleted carbohydrates are harmful in many ways. He was supported by a surgeon from East Africa, Denis Burkitt, who presented evidence that Western diseases are rare in Africa and other third-world countries where fiber intake is high.
Facts about fiber
What Are The Best Sources Of Fiber?
The following foods are good sources of fiber:
When foods are processed, fiber is often removed. Foods made from white flour (bleached or unbleached) are poor sources of fiber, including white breads, pizza crusts, and regular pasta. In general, foods that are less processed are higher in fiber.
Some high-fiber foods - such as some breakfast cereals and convenience foods - are also high in sugar and salt, so take care to read the label before purchase.
Need To Know:
Q: Do I have to get my fiber from food? Is taking a fiber supplement enough?
A: Supplements provide only a very restricted type of fiber. Eating a diet of high-fiber foods usually incorporates various kinds of fiber, and that's healthier. Fruits, vegetables, and oats have plenty of soluble fiber . Whole grains, bran, legumes, and many fruits and vegetables are full of insoluble fiber . Both soluble and insoluble fiber add bulk and softness to the stool. Insoluble fiber remains pretty much unchanged by the time it reaches the intestines, whereas soluble fiber acquires a soft, jelly-like texture. Both make stools easier to pass.
How Do I Get More Fiber In My Diet?
A good diet should contain approximately 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day. The average American eats less than half of that.
Getting more fiber in your diet doesn't have to mean a drastic change. In fact, it's best to start slowly, in order to avoid constipation from getting too much fiber all at once. Many fiber-depleted foods in the diet can be replaced by high-fiber alternatives.
Fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber include:
Here are other good sources of fiber:
Need To Know:
It's important to drink more fluids when you increase the amount of fiber you eat. You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day, especially when increasing your fiber intake.
Most everyday low-fiber foods have a higher-fiber alternative:
Some fiber-depleted foods
Fiber-intact alternatives
Studies have shown that a high-fiber diet has widespread health benefits. And unlike many other treatments, fiber in the diet has no danger of adverse reactions, toxicity, or dangerous side effects.
How-To Information:
Here's some advice on incorporating more fiber in your diet:
Fiber has numerous effects in the large intestine:
What Are The Health Benefits Of Fiber?
Fiber is helpful to the body in many ways:Avoiding And Relieving Constipation
Fiber can absorb large amounts of water in the bowels, and this makes stools softer and easier to pass. Anyone starting a higher-fiber diet will notice the difference in stool bulk.
Need To Know:
Constipation can have other causes, however, so you should consult your doctor if it is not relieved by increased fiber.
Nice To Know:
On average, it takes 39 hours in women and 31 hours in men for food to pass through the colon and out of the body. This time varies a lot from person to person, depending on personality, state of mind, and fiber intake. Usually, the effect of fiber is to speed up this process.
Preventing Certain Diseases
Getting enough fiber in the diet can lower the risk of developing certain conditions:
For further information about diverticular disease, go to Diverticular Disease.
For further information about gallstones, go to Gallstones.
For further information about kidney stones, go to Kidney Stones.
Keeping Weight Under Control
Foods containing plenty of fiber have more bulk than low-fiber foods. If taken in the right form at the right time and at sufficient quantities, fiber can sometimes slow the onset of hunger.
Nice To Know:
To help control your weight with fiber:
Always try to take fiber in the natural form. For example, instead of sprinkling bran over your food, choose foods naturally high in fiber.
Avoid foods that have been made easier to eat and digest by removal of fiber, especially sugars (including fruit juices).
Choose foods that satisfy hunger without providing many calories, mainly vegetables and most fruits, which are rich in fiber.
Need To Know:
Some individuals claim that fiber alone can cause weight loss without the need to diet. But in fact, the only effective and safe way to lose weight is to:
Reduce calorie intake to a safe level
Get enough exercise to burn off excess calories
However, fiber can be a useful aid in reducing calorie intake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions related to Fiber: Its Importance In Your Diet.
Q: Exactly how much fiber should I get in my diet?
A: The American Dietetic Association recommends 20 to 35 grams of fiber each day. Your doctor may also recommend drinking a fiber product such as Citrucel or Metamucil once a day. These products are mixed with water, and each 8-ounce glass provides about 4 to 6 grams of fiber.
Q: Can fiber really help me lose weight?
A: In a nutshell, fiber slows things down at the upper end and speeds them up at the lower end (in other words, "slow in, fast out"). It makes the entrance of food more difficult (by demanding that food be chewed), and it makes it easier to pass stools. In between, it makes food more satisfying, probably because the contents of the stomach are bulkier and stay longer. These actions can help you limit calories.
Q: Recently, when I tried eating more fiber, I had cramps and a bloated feeling. Is this normal?
A: Many people notice bloating, cramping, or gas when they begin to add more fiber to their diet. Adding fiber gradually to your diet over a period of time can help prevent this. It's important to drink more fluids when you increase the amount of fiber you eat. The recommended amount of water is eight glasses a day.
Q: I drink lots of fruit juices. Does this count as extra fiber in my diet?
A: Fruit and vegetable juices usually contain practically no fiber, because the juice has been squeezed out of the plant material and the fiber is left behind. But freezing, drying, and normal cooking do not significantly change the fiber content of most foods. Fresh or cooked vegetables, as well as dried or canned fruit, all add fiber.
[Source: The ehealthMD]