w8lifter

High-fiber diet
Author/s: Mai Tran


Definition

Fiber is the material that gives plants texture and support. Dietary fiber is found in many plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains. Although it is primarily made up of carbohydrates, it does not have a lot of calories and usually is not broken down by the body for energy. Fiber is sometimes called roughage.

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber, as the name implies, does not dissolve in water because it contains high amounts of cellulose. Insoluble fiber is found in grain brans, fruit pulp, and vegetable peels or skins. Soluble fiber is the type of fiber that dissolves in water. It can be found in a variety of such fruits, grains, and vegetables as apples, oatmeal and oat bran, rye flour and dried beans.

Although the two types of fiber share some common characteristics such as being partially digested in the stomach and intestines and being low in calories, each type has its own specific health benefits. Insoluble fiber speeds up the movement of foods through the digestive system and adds bulk to the stools; it helps to treat constipation or diarrhea and prevents colon cancer. On the other hand, only soluble fiber can lower blood cholesterol levels. This type of fiber works by attaching itself to the cholesterol so that it can be eliminated from the body. This process prevents cholesterol from recirculating and being reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

Benefits
A high-fiber diet helps prevent or treat the following health conditions:

High blood cholesterol levels. Fiber effectively lowers blood cholesterol levels. It appears that soluble fiber binds to the cholesterol molecule and moves it through the digestive tract so that it can be excreted from the body. This mechanism prevents cholesterol from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

Constipation. A high-fiber diet is a useful non-drug treatment for constipation. Fiber in the diet adds more bulk to the stools, making them softer. Fiber also shortens the length of time that foods remain in the digestive tract. It is important, however, for people increasing their fiber intake to drink more water as well, in order to get the benefit of using dietary fiber to relieve constipation.

Hemorrhoids. Fiber in the diet adds more bulk and softens the stool, thus reducing the pain and bleeding associated with hemorrhoids.

Diabetes. A common problem for diabetics is the rapid rise of insulin levels following meals. Soluble fiber in the diet delays the emptying of the stomach contents into the intestines. This delay helps to slow the rise of blood sugar levels following a meal and thus gives diabetics greater control over their condition.

Obesity. Dietary fiber makes a person feel full more rapidly. It can thus help a person lose weight by making the appetite easier to control.

Colon and colorectal cancer. Insoluble fiber in the diet speeds up the movement of the stools through the gastrointestinal tract. The faster that food and its by-products travel through the digestive tract, the less time there is for potential cancer-causing substances to work on the food. Diets that are high in insoluble fiber help to prevent the accumulation of toxic substances that cause cancer of the colon.

Breast cancer. A high dietary consumption of fats is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Because fiber reduces fat absorption in the digestive tract, it may prevent breast cancer.


The American Dietetic Association recommends eating 25-35 g of fiber daily. A person can meet this fiber requirement by consuming two to three servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables every day. To increase fiber intake, a person should eat more of the following high-fiber foods: whole grains, beans, fruits (preferably with skins on), roots and leafy vegetables, broccoli or carrots. As an added bonus, he or she will also receive other health benefits provided by the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and cancer-fighting phytochemicals in these foods.

Preparations
For the greatest benefit to health, people should have both soluble and insoluble fiber in their diet, preferably in a 50:50 ratio. The following foods are good sources of insoluble fiber:

wheat bran
whole wheat products
cereals made from bran or shredded wheat
crunchy vegetables
barley
grains
whole wheat pasta
rye flour

Good sources of soluble fiber include:

oats
oat bran
oatmeal
apples
citrus fruits
strawberries
dried beans
barley
rye flour
potatoes
raw cabbage
pasta

Precautions

High-fiber therapy must be part of a balanced diet that includes adequate water intake and also provides the proper amounts of essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron and zinc.

Side effects
The following minor discomforts may occur on a high-fiber diet, especially if there has been a sudden increase of fiber content in the diet:

loose bowel movements
excessive gas
occasional stomach pain
Research & general acceptance
As a result of the large volume of scientific evidence supporting the use of fiber in disease prevention and treatment, high-fiber diet treatments have been accepted and advocated by practitioners of alternative and conventional medicine alike. High-fiber diets have been endorsed by the American Heart Association, the American Dietetic Association, the National Cancer Institute, the National Research Council, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Key Terms

Cellulose The primary substance composing the cell walls or fibers of all plant tissues.

Hemorrhoid A varicose vein in the area around the anus. Hemorrhoids sometimes cause pain and bleeding.

Naturopathy A school of alternative medicine that focuses on natural healing. Therapies provided by practitioners of naturopathy often include diet, exercise, supplement and hydrotherapy and may also include osteopathic and chiropractice treatments.

Roughage Another name for dietary fiber.

Miss LeDix

Thanks for that! Alot of people neglect fiber in thier diets.

My little man!
http://bellsouthpwp.net/l/a/lance911...otos/0718a.jpg

LAM

Great post w8lifter !

here is a quick and easy fiber test. next time you go #2 if your stool floats your lacking in fiber...

Dumbest statement made in the Anabolic Zone for Nov

TBD

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What you talking about Willis ?

Leslie

I had just added plenty of fiber to my diet- FIber One with Cottage Cheese- a YUMMY concoction I got off this forum! ( I think Princess's Diary...)

Miss LeDix

Fiber One kicks ass! And if I may brag, I am the one that told Princess to eat Fiber One...and to mix it with cottage cheese is an excellent way to get fiber and protien at one time.

My little man!
http://bellsouthpwp.net/l/a/lance911...otos/0718a.jpg

kuso

I mix All Bran with cottage cheese every day or so.....seems to do the job

SpecialK

I add All Bran too, but have you tried adding penut butter too? Really good....but addicting

I Are Baboon

I love eating fiber. I make sure I have plenty of magazines ready to go....

Mudge

I love peanut butter, but I would leave that to the skinny people who have trouble gaining weight.

w8lifter

You can use peanut butter on a cut...if you can handle it's addictive qualities, lol.

w8lifter

Bump!

Fit Freak

Let's not even talk about PB.....HIGHLY addictive

Searching for the right balance...

crackerjack414

well the rda on fiber is 25g a day
The world health orgainization recomends I beleive between 35-45 g a day. There parts of africa where the average person consumes up to 85g a day of fiber

twelvepercentt

At one time it was really hard for me to get in my 2 servings of fruit, and at least 4 sevings of veggies. Now it is just part of my lifestyle. I usually have some whole grains in my first couple of meals in the day, but the rest of my carbs come from fruit and veggies, with sometimes whole grains or legumes for my evening meal.

When you replace the processed carbs for wholesome whole foods, you would be surprised how much food you can eat, even while in a calorie deficit!

Oh, and I am not one of those skinny peeps, but I use a tsp of PB mixed in with one of my meals almost daily as part of my daily EFA's. Yeah, I know, the Omega 6's . I sometimes take a tsp of Udos oil too.

I used to be so hungry after eating my evening meal in a deficit, but with a variety of veggies on my plate, like 4 servings, mixed up and flavored well, my plate has more food on it then anyone else's at the dinner table, and I am satisfied!

I can't wait to see what my cholesterol level is when I have my physical in December!

CAli Tracy
Found at: Leanness Lifestyle.

twelvepercentt

If you like that, I bet you's like Trader Joe's High Fiber cereal too. One serving has 9 g of fiber, and I have mixed it with CC before too. But I also added some sugar free jam!

CAli Tracy
Found at: Leanness Lifestyle.