All modern nutritionists recommend including as much dietary fiber as possible in your menu (other names are fiber, ballast, indigestible or non-digestible carbohydrates). The benefits that these substances bring to the human body can hardly be overestimated. In this article we will analyze how useful dietary fiber and what are their main sources.
Types of dietary fiber
Fiber is a nutrient that does not provide energy to the body, but it has a number of important functions. It is divided into two types:
Insoluble fiber. It contains: wheat bran, the peel of many vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, celery, broccoli, legumes, beets, pears, apples, nuts. Helps to cope with constipation, hemorrhoids, colitis. Insoluble fibers are not digested by the body, they form a dense mass that accelerates the passage of digested food through the intestinal tract.
Soluble fiber. Oat bran, flaxseeds, carrots, most fruits, beans - dietary fiber sources soluble group. Such fibers, combining in the intestine with water, are converted into a gel-like substance. This mass contributes to the soft removal from the intestines of not only toxins and toxins, but also the waste products of bacteria and viruses.
Fiber benefits
Foods containing dietary fiber, both insoluble and soluble, must be present in the daily diet. Fiber prevents the formation of stones in the gallbladder and helps to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood. In addition, dietary fiber cleanses the body of toxic compounds, quickly saturates without extra calories. With regular use of foods containing fiber, bowel cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system are prevented. Coarse fibers significantly slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and fats, which contributes not only to the normalization of weight, but also to blood sugar levels. Coarse fiber products (bran, whole wheat, young peas, soybeans, cabbage, apples, freshly squeezed orange juice) , have a large number of trace elements that are necessary for the body. Thanks to fiber, beneficial bacteria that live in the intestines produce enzymes and improve the digestive system.
how dietary fiber and fiber help to lose weight?
Fiber, swelling in the stomach, helps to quickly satisfy the hunger and prevents overeating. Coarse fibers slow down the absorption of sugar after eating, which provides a long-lasting feeling of fullness. When replacing more energy-intensive products with fiber, the intake of excess calories decreases. In the intestines, coarse fibers act as an adsorbent, cleansing the body of excess fat. Fiber contains a significant amount of potassium, which acts as a sodium antagonist. Therefore, food rich in dietary fiber helps to remove excess fluid from the body.
Fiber Against Skin Diseases
Patients suffering from skin diseases, especially psoriasis, eczema, neurodermatitis, to improve the condition should first normalize the stool. Feces, stagnating in the intestines, give a strong intoxication on the body, which is manifested by itching and rashes on the skin. Dietary fibers are hygroscopic, that is, they are able to retain water, which ensures bowel movement. So, raw vegetables (cabbage, apple, carrots, beets), swelling in the stomach, increase their initial volume twice, bran - five times. Coarse fibers stimulate intestinal motility and provide a natural cleansing of the body. Passing through the gastrointestinal tract, dietary fiber envelops and removes a significant amount of various poisons: xenobiotics, radionuclides, nitrosamines, heavy metals (cadmium, mercury, lead, strontium and others).
How to increase the consumption of coarse dietary fiber?
A sharp increase in the diet of fiber-rich foods can cause bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. It is necessary to eat no more than 25-30 g of dietary fiber per day. To begin with, you should replace the usual foods with foods that contain a large amount of fiber. Instead of white bread, eat bran bread, replace conventional corn flakes with flake bran. Whole grain foods are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Oatmeal is very useful, daily use of which is useful not only for appearance, but also for internal condition. It is necessary to give preference to products that require minimal heat treatment. It is preferable to steam, stew or bake, and preferably, if possible, eat raw foods. A diet rich in fiber is undoubtedly good for your health. Indeed, in addition to the cleansing effect, dietary fiber saturates the body with essential vitamins and minerals. However, if there are chronic diseases of the pancreas or digestive system, you should consult your doctor before changing your usual diet.
Possible side effects
You need to know about what uncontrolled fiber intake can turn into:
a sharp increase in dietary fiber in the diet contributes to increased gas formation, bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
with insufficient fluid intake can aggravate constipation, therefore it is necessary to observe the drinking regimen and drink at least two liters of fluid per day;
inflammatory processes in the intestine and pancreas may worsen;
long-term use of dietary fiber in large quantities provokes the excretion of trace elements and fat-soluble vitamins from the body;
for the same reason flatulence appears;
fiber can react with drugs, so specialist advice is required;
insoluble dietary fiber affects sex hormones, thereby reducing testosterone activity.
Include more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, freshly squeezed juices in your daily diet and you will have not only enviable harmony, but also excellent health.