FIBRE, FIBRE, FIBRE!
Fibre is the stalks, peels, skins, and seeds found in produce and grains. Formerly called “roughage” or “bulk,” fiber is rich in vitamins and minerals.
Interest in high fibre foods has increased over recent years. Dietary fibre’s positive impact on health is now perfectly clear. Both the Canadian Cancer Society and Health and Welfare Canada recommend we consume 20 to 30 grams of dietary fibre, per day, for optimum health. Scientists now recognize that fibre may play a role in reducing the risk of chronic disease such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Foods that are rich in fibre also tend to be rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are a select group of enzymes and nutrients that block free radical damage. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that damage our body’s cells. Antioxidants found in fibre-rich foods include vitamins A, C, and E, and the mineral selenium.
What is Fibre?
Fibre is the stalks, peels, skins, and seeds found in produce and grains. Formerly called “roughage” or “bulk,” fiber is rich in vitamins and minerals.
There are two types of fibre in foods: insoluble and soluble. Virtually all fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products contain some of both types of fiber.
Insoluble fibre is like a sponge: it absorbs many times its weight in water, swelling up within the intestine. Whole-grain sources of fibre include flax, whole-wheat flour and brown rice. The body does not digest this fibre easily; it passes through our system, taking toxins and disease-causing substances with it. Insoluble fibre, along with plenty of pure water, stimulates the colon, keeping waste material moving out of the bowels.
Soluble fibre is more digestible than insoluble fibre and works mostly on the stomach. It lowers cholesterol and regulates blood glucose levels, an especially important factor for diabetics. Fibre can also reduce the risk of heart disease. It can be found in fruits, root vegetables, seeds, legumes, flax, barley oats and bran.
There are many benefits to eating fibre. Eating both insoluble and soluble fiber may be one of the most important things we can do to prevent colon cancer. Fibre speeds up movement of waste through the colon so that harmful substances don’t have as much contact with colon cells. When a diet is high in fat and low in fibre, it can take up to seven days for waste to move through the colon. A low-fat, high-fibre diet can shorten that time to about 24 hours.
One other great reason to eat fibre is that it aids in reducing weight, providing a sense of fullness, without excess fat and calories. High-fibre foods help move food through the digestive system, keeping digestion regular, preventing constipation and hemorrhoids.
Are You Getting Enough Fibre in Your Diet?
If you eat a cup of bran cereal with half a small cantaloupe, or a medium orange in the morning, lentil or bean soup and a salad for lunch, and half a cup of brown rice with spinach, or green beans and a whole-wheat bun for dinner, and snack on fresh raw fruits and vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, then you have achieved your daily goal of 20 to 30 grams of fibre.
How to Introduce Fibre to Your Diet
Suddenly increasing the amount of fibre can cause problems such as intestinal gas and diarrhea, due to fermentation of fibre and indigestible sugars in the colon. To reduce your chance of these unpleasant side effects, introduce fibre to your diet slowly. By eating a little fibre with every meal, you shouldn’t experience too much discomfort. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water.
Joanne B. Parrotta is a motivational writer. She has writen six books and many articles dealing with topics such as parenting, relationships, health and well being. She is the author of a very popular book: A Matter of Destiny: How to Find and Marry Your Soulmate. For more on Parrotta and her works visit: www.wiseadvicebooks.com.