Human health directly depends on what he consumes. A proper diet means that a person will receive an adequate amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber. The latter component can be obtained exclusively from food or nutritional supplements, since it is not produced by the body on its own.
What is fiber
Fiber is the shell of the pulp of plants. Each plant has its own type of fiber, which affects the human body in different ways. Fiber is not processed by stomach enzymes. The bacteria present in the intestines are responsible for the process of its digestion. There are two types: soluble and insoluble fiber.
Fiber does not give the human body energy, but at the same time it is extremely necessary to maintain tone and health.
Insoluble fiber
This type of fiber is found in cereals. Thanks to these fibers, the absorption of harmful substances and the absorption of excess fluid, which are formed during the digestion process , take place .
This fiber speeds up the process of movement of food through the intestines, enhances peristalsis. This, in turn, prevents constipation and reduces the risk of hemorrhoids.
Water Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber is also found in grains, vegetables and fruits, beans and algae.
It is these fibers that make it possible to regulate a person’s weight by reducing the absorption of fats. Helps reduce the amount of cholesterol that comes with food by preventing the breakdown of cholesterol. Some studies have found that with regular consumption of foods with fiber, cholesterol levels are 60% lower.
Soluble fiber helps stabilize glucose levels in the body and is a beneficial flora for the reproduction of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines. All these properties make it possible to speak of soluble fiber as a real means of preventing cardiovascular diseases and other dangerous pathologies.
What is fiber for?
Above all, to get the most out of your fiber intake, you need to drink enough water. Dietary fiber stabilizes the process of excretion of feces, that is, prevents the development of diarrhea and constipation. They increase gastrointestinal motility and slow down the rate of digestion of incoming food, due to which the feeling of satiety comes faster.
In addition, plant fibers help remove heavy metals and toxic substances from the body. Allows you to get rid of toxins and stabilize blood sugar levels. Due to the regular intake of fiber into the body, the bile ducts are cleansed, and thereby the risk of stagnation and stones is reduced.
Fiber begins to exert its beneficial effect even at the stage of chewing in the mouth, stimulating salivation. While a person chews on fiber, teeth are brushed. Eating such food, a person eats less, as he chews longer, and this allows you to quickly get full and not overeat.
Thanks to plant fibers, the risk of developing pathologies associated with the gastrointestinal tract is reduced. The feces are excreted in full and does not accumulate. Fiber retains substances and liquids 30-50 times its own mass.
Fiber contains a lot of potassium, which has a diuretic effect. Accordingly, thanks to it, excess fluid and sodium are removed.
By consuming foods high in fiber daily, colon cancer can be avoided. Evidence for this can be found in Japan, where people eat beans, soy, or rice every day. The incidence of the gastrointestinal tract in this country is at a low level when compared with the United States or Europe.
If there is a lack of fiber in the diet, then problems with the intestines appear, at first completely innocent, but if the situation is not corrected, then everything can end up with obstruction or even cancer.
Daily fiber requirement
The WHO recommends that the average person consume 25 grams of fiber throughout the day. Dietary fiber is recommended to be introduced into the diet from 1 year of age, in a small amount.
If a person is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, there are problems with the gastrointestinal tract, obesity, then the daily dose should be increased to 30 g.
If you decide to switch to proper nutrition and introduce fiber into your diet, then this should be done gradually. Every day, introduce into your diet a little of any fruits and vegetables, this should be done for several weeks. If you add a lot of fiber-containing foods to your diet, you will definitely suffer from bloating and discomfort in the digestive tract.
What are the risks of a lack of fiber in foods?
There is no fiber in animal products; it can only be obtained from plant foods.
If you do not use fiber, then it is quite difficult to get enough, since it is plant fibers that suppress the appetite hormone ghrelin .
Thanks to fiber, sugar enters the bloodstream gradually, which prevents the development of diabetes. Plant fibers contain a huge amount of vitamins and nutrients, therefore they strengthen the immune system. For these reasons, plant fiber must be present in a person’s daily diet.
The harm of fiber contraindications
When consuming fiber, you must drink enough water, otherwise you will become dehydrated. And this condition is fraught with dire consequences for the human body. For the same reason, due to a lack of fluid in the body, constipation may appear.
If you get too carried away with eating fiber, then you can deprive your body of a large number of nutrients and minerals. Excess fiber can also cause bloating and flatulence.
Despite the fact that fiber stabilizes the digestive process, an excess of it increases the risk of diarrhea. This is due to the fact that plant fibers begin to practically push food out of the body until the digestive process is completed. Hence the conclusion that the body after such a meal will not receive all the nutrients it needs from food.
Why modern man is deficient in fiber
The lack of plant fiber is associated solely with unhealthy diet. This applies not only to the passion for fast food , semi-finished products, but also to the fact that almost all products are refined. This applies not only to oil, but also to rice, flour, juices, and industrial production. That is, they lack almost 100% useful substances, vitamins, and even more so fiber. Hence the scarcity arises.
Consuming candied fruits also negatively affects health, such food can be attributed to fast carbohydrates rather than fiber.
There is only one way to avoid the lack of fiber – by correcting the diet.
Fiber-containing foods
Most of the fiber is found in the stems and roots of plants. It is also found in tubers, fruits and leaves. The most useful ones include:
- carrot;
- beets;
- cucumbers;
- cabbage;
- peas;
- tomatoes;
- broccoli;
- radish.
There are also many leaders among fruits: grapes, apples, pears. And, of course, these are nuts and seeds. Among cereals, one can distinguish buckwheat and oatmeal, whole grains , especially with bran.
Foods high in dietary fiber should not be cooked, especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables.
High-fiber foods
Bran is the leader in fiber content. However, in this form, it is rough, that is, the bran cannot be carried away. In a small amount, the body will cope with such food, but on condition that the person adheres to the drinking regime.
The most valuable in terms of fiber include the following foods:
- peas and beans, they are 15% vegetable fibers;
- wheat and rice (white) – 8%;
- in oats and barley from 10% to 8%;
- olives, almonds and other nuts contain 15% to 10%;
- fruits and citrus fruits are 10% -5% fiber;
- the berries contain from 7% to 3%.
Fresh vegetables also boast a high content, ranging from 2% to 5%. The highest fiber sources are peas, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, Brussels sprouts, celery and asparagus.
Among the berries are: strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries, blueberries.
Flaxseed can be distinguished from seeds. A tablespoon contains 2.8 g of fiber. For this reason, the seeds are often used as a laxative. In addition, flax stabilizes the amount of glucose in the blood, is useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and is recommended for use in obesity and constipation.
Dried fruits are also a good source of fiber. Half a glass contains a whopping 3.8 grams of fiber. Many people who consume dried fruits notice that their gastrointestinal tract works well, there are no problems with excretion of feces. Therefore, if you want to improve the work of the stomach, use figs, raisins, dates and other dried fruits, but do not get carried away much, as they are very high in calories.
Fiber is a rough food, it is not digested at all, therefore it takes a long period of time for its assimilation. Hence the prolonged feeling of satiety after consuming fiber, the easiest to notice is after bran. But the most important thing is that it, along the way, moving to the “exit”, collects all toxins, digestive waste, fat and excess water and removes it from the body. Therefore, fiber must be present in the diet of every person, then there will be no health problems, and in particular, with digestion.