Thursday, March 23, 2023
More

    Latest Posts

    Dietary Fibre: Important Part of Your Diet. Do You Know Why?

    “Include whole grains, legumes, whole fruit, leafy vegetables in your diet.”  You must have heard this before. Do you know why? One important reason is that it contains fibre.

    Dietary fibre is also known as ‘roughage’. It is probably known to prevent or relieve constipation.

    What is Dietary Fibre?

    what is dietary fiber?
    image credit: naturalproductsinsider.com

    Dietary fiber is an edible component of plant-based food.

    It is a type of carbohydrate that the intestine cannot digest or absorb. It passes relatively intact through your stomach, intestine, and colon and out of your body. Complete or partial fermentation of fiber takes place in the intestine.

    Depending on solubility, fibers are categorized as soluble fibre and insoluble fibre.

    Soluble Fiber :

    Soluble Fibre is a component of dietary fiber. It forms a gel-like consistency when mixed with water.

    1. Soluble Fibre delays gastric emptying.
    2. It increases transit time through the intestine and decreases nutrient absorption.
    3. It helps to lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels.
    soluble dietary fiber
    via – Natural Health Journals

    4. Pectin,  Gums, Mucilage s are component of dietary fiber which are soluble type.  Examples are oats, peas, beans, gum, apple,  citrus fruits, carrot barley legumes etc

    Insoluble fiber:

    Cellulose, Hemicellulose, lignin are components of dietary fibre that are not soluble in water.

    1. It decreases (speed up) intestinal transit time and increases stool bulk. So it can be beneficial to those who struggle with constipation.
    2. Whole Grains, whole wheat flour, bran, nuts, beans, mature root vegetables like carrot are good sources of insoluble fibre.
    insoluble dietary fiber
    Via-encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com

    But most plant-based food contains both soluble as well as insoluble fibre.

    Examples are whole grain, oatmeal, beans etc. The amount of soluble and insoluble fiber varies in different foods.

    The highly processed food contains less fibre unless it is fortified.

    For example: bakery products,  fruit juices etc.

    Food of animal origin does not contain any fibre.

    Dietary fiber has amazing health benefits.

    health benefits of dietary fiber
    Via-i0.wp.com/sitn.hms.harvard.edu/wp-content
    • It adds bulk to the diet, making fill full faster. This reduces meal size and food intake. This is helpful in managing the weight.
    • The inclusion of fiber has shown to retard absorption of some nutrients. The inclusion of viscous fibers reduces post prandial glucose level concentration. Raised blood sugar levels are becoming a common occurrence now, Guar gum and pectin ingestion have been established to be helpful in reducing these levels to a great extent.
    • Fiber lowers the total and LDL cholesterol hence reduces the risk of heart disease.
    • They play an important role in maintaining the integrity of the gut.
    • Dietary fiber balances pH and stimulates intestinal fermentation, production of short chain fatty acids. This influences gut microbiota (  the community of microorganisms themselves) and is related to better health. This may also reduce the risk of colo-rectal cancers.

    6. They add bulk to the stool. It alleviates constipation.

    7. Dietary fiber speeds up the passage of food through the digestive system which facilitates regularity.

    Considering all these benefits, someone may have a query how much calories will it give? And the answer is ZERO.

    How much Fibre is sufficient?

    As per RDA, a daily fiber intake should be 30-40 gm/day or  14 gm per 1000 kcal alternately.

    It is always better to take experts advice, especially if you are suffering from any GI disorder. 

    Eat Healthy, Be Healthy!

    Subscribe to our channels on YouTube & Telegram

    Latest Posts

    Random Post

    What is Neograft Hair Loss Surgery?

    Hair loss can start to happen when we age and can really take a toll on our self-esteem. Our hair is a form of...

    10 Effective Ways To Improve Intellectual Health

    Scholarly knowledge is usually considered as intellect. Nevertheless, intellectual health involves imagination, general information, and sound judgment. Keeping up with proper nourishing habits and...

    Sweet Cheat With Frozen Yogurt Bites (An Easy Recipe)

    It’s summer, and what is summer without ice-creams, flushes, and chilled juices? You might have read this quote, “To eat is a necessity but...

    Latest article

    75 Pre-Workout Foods To Consume

    Before engaging in any physical activity, it's essential to fuel your body with the good nutrients to perform at your best. Eating the right...

    18 Pre-workout Drinks To Consume

    Whether you're about to begin or have just done your workout, you should drink something to keep hydrated. Pre-exercise beverages from a water bottle...

    40 Reasons Why Vaping Is Harmful

    In recent years, vaping as a habit has grown in popularity, especially among young people. While critics emphasize the possible health hazards and addiction...