You are what you eat! you've probably heard that before.
It's recommend that men should eat 38 grams of fiber per day while women should consume 25 grams of fiber per day.
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| ABHISHEK HAJARE | unsplash |
WHAT ARE FIBERS?
They are the structural part of plant foods such as fruits, grains, legumes and vegetables that the body can not digest. why? because the human digestive enzyme can not completely break them down.
FIBERS are sometimes called ROUGHAGES or BULKS.
Unlike other food components such as proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, which are absorbed by the body, fibers can not be digested by the body, it passes through the stomach, small intestine, colon and out of the body.
Fibers are mostly classified into two;
- soluble fiber
- insoluble fiber
WHAT ARE SOLUBLE FIBERS?
They are fibers that dissolves in water to form a gel-like materials, and process by bacterial (good ones) in the gut. it provide help in lowering the blood cholesterol and glucose levels. they are mostly found in oats, peas, barley, carrots, apples, citrus fruits, psyllium.
WHAT ARE INSOLUBLE FIBERS?
These are fibers that aids the movement of foods materials through the digestive systems, and also increases stool bulk.
this type of fiber is beneficial to people who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. okra, kidney beans, corn, turnips, pinto beans, vegetables are the examples of insoluble fibers.
The insoluble and soluble fibers varies in different plant foods.
Eat a wide varieties of high fiber food to achieve a greater benefits.
IF FIBERS ARE NOT DIGESTED BY HUMANS, WHY DO WE NEED THEM IN OUR DAILY DIET?
- They lowers cholesterol levels
- They help to control blood sugar level, especially in people with diabetes
- They normalizes bowel movement
- They help live longer, in that they reduce the rate of getting cardiovascular disease and all cancer
- They help the maintenance of bowel health, in that they lower the risk of getting a disease called diverticula disease.
HOW MUCH FIBER IS NEEDED ON A DAILY BASIS?
For Adult of age 50 below;
38 grams for men
25 grams for women
For Adult of age 51 above;
30 grams for men
21 grams for women
WHERE TO GET BEST FIBERS;
- vegetables
- fruits
- beans
- peas and other legumes
- nuts and seed
ALSO FROM;
- fiber supplements and fortified foods
- ice creams and yogurts( with fiber added, usually labelled as inulin or chicory root)
High fiber foods are good for the health, but too much intake of it can promote intestinal gas, cramping, bloating.
Drink plenty of water because fiber work best when it absorbs water, making your stools bulky and soft.
You are what you eat!