Where is fiber found, in which products: list and features

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Modern progress is of great benefit to mankind, but at the same time it is actively changing the ecological situation for the worse. Of course, this affects people's he alth along with a sedentary lifestyle and frequent stress. In order to strengthen their own he alth in such conditions, many people try to eat right, not forgetting to enrich the menu with vitamins, minerals and proteins, while completely forgetting about fiber. Such a mistake deprives the body of the most important part of the diet and can lead to serious diseases in the future. That is why you should figure out where fiber is found, in which products it can be found and what it is in general.

Definition

Fiber is a complex dietary fiber that is not digested by our digestive system. It can only be found in herbal products. Where fiber is most contained can be understood from the features of its structure - these are any coarse parts of plants. The maximum concentration of fibers is found in fruit peel, seeds, stems and so on.

Each product is different in structure, therefore, a large amount of fiber accumulates indifferent parts. So, carrots accumulate fibers in the core, beets in the rings of the fruit, and fruits in the peel. As a percentage of the total mass of the product, the most fiber is concentrated in berries - 3-5%. Vegetables and mushrooms contain about 1-2% fiber.

Varieties of fiber

To provide your body with the necessary nutrients, you also need to know where different types of fiber are found. Experts divide it into soluble and insoluble. There is much more of the latter and it is just those very coarse fibers that are not absorbed by the body at all, since there are no enzymes in the digestive system that can process it. The most important insoluble fibers are lignin and cellulose.

Fiber is also considered to be no less important pectin, but the body of a he althy person is able to digest and partially absorb it, so the substance belongs to a soluble form. The main sources of such fibers are fruits with tender pulp and peel - leafy vegetables, berries and fruits, oat bran. Where is coarse fiber found? Its highest concentration is found in cereals, mushrooms, nuts and vegetables.

In order to provide the digestive system with everything necessary, a person needs to consume both types of fibers regularly.

Benefits of fiber

Since fiber is practically not absorbed by the body, many believe that there is little benefit from eating such products. The obvious benefit of eating fiber is to stimulate the digestive system, but in factin fact, this is not its only benefit.

The positive impact of fiber on the body begins from the moment it enters the mouth. When thoroughly chewing coarse food, a large amount of saliva is released, which mechanically cleans the oral cavity, prevents putrefactive processes, has a bactericidal effect and improves digestion.

The answer to the question, where is a lot of fiber, is often of interest to people on a diet due to its following useful property. The fact is that the fibers, getting into the digestive system, are very quickly saturated with moisture and increase in size, which leads to a quick feeling of fullness. In addition, passing through the digestive tract, the accumulation of fibers absorbs cholesterol and bile acids, after which it naturally removes them from the body and does not allow them to enter the bloodstream.

Block the entry of harmful substances into the blood and pectins, due to the fact that they turn them into insoluble compounds. Interestingly, after heat treatment of products containing pectins, their concentration only increases.

And, of course, thanks to mechanical cleansing of the intestines and stimulation of the entire digestive system, fiber helps prevent rectal cancer and improves immunity.

Consumption rates

In addition to where fiber is found, it is important to know how much of it you need to consume to maintain the he alth of your body. Experts believe that 25 grams per day will be sufficient for a he althy person.fiber. It is important to observe the proportions: insoluble fibers in this norm should be 1 part, and soluble - 3 parts. Knowing the list of foods that contain fiber, it will not be difficult to develop the right menu for yourself according to all the rules for every day.

The main thing is to remember that a sharp transition to roughage can lead to bloating, abdominal pain and other digestive disorders. Increase your fiber intake gradually over a couple of weeks.

Lack of fiber

For a long time, the role of coarse dietary fiber in the human diet was underestimated, but today experts are already confidently saying that fiber should be present in the diet every day. Lack of pectins and other substances can lead to:

• colon cancer;
• diabetes;
• intestinal atony;
• gallstones;
• obesity;
• atherosclerosis;
• dysbacteriosis;
• hemorrhoids;
• spastic colitis;
• ischemic heart disease.

Highest fiber concentration

Bran occupies a special place among fiber-rich foods. They are rightfully considered a unique product, the benefits of which have already been proven by many studies. In addition to a high concentration of dietary fiber, bran contains carotene, vitamins B and E, nicotinic acid, magnesium, selenium, zinc and many other necessary substances. You can buy bran at a pharmacy or supermarket. They are wheat, barley,oat, corn, rice and so on.

Before consumption, the product is steamed with water and eaten in a small amount before the main meal. Since bran contains a large amount of fiber, it should be introduced into the diet very slowly, starting with 1/2 teaspoon. You can also buy a ready-made product with vegetable additives, which does not need to be steamed.

It is very important to use bran separately from any medicines. The gap should be at least 6 hours, as the powerful cleansing property of the product will simply wash out the medication.

100 g of wheat bran contains 43 g of pure fiber - this is the maximum figure. Other bran will have less fiber.

Grains

Looking at the various fiber foods, the list needs to be filled with all sorts of grains as well.

It is important to keep in mind that cereals must be whole, because during their processing for instant cooking, all coarse dietary fiber is removed from the products. Important sources of fiber for the body are:

• buckwheat;
• oatmeal;
• rice;
• millet;
• barley groats and other grains.

Buckwheat and oatmeal have a maximum of 12 g of pure fiber per 100 g of product.

Fresh fruits and vegetables

The highest concentration of dietary fiber is concentrated in the peel of fruits, so all seasonal fruits are necessaryconsume together with the top layer. If juice is prepared from them, then it is necessary to make it with pulp. Vegetables retain the most fiber when eaten raw. To do this, you can make salads from fresh products.

It is recommended to eat fruits and fresh vegetables one hour before meals or 2 hours after it so that they can give their maximum benefit.

So, among soft plant foods, the largest amount of dietary fiber is concentrated in mushrooms, lentils, soybeans, beans and peas - 10-13 g per 100 g of product.

Foods high in fiber include dried mushrooms and dried fruit. Due to the fact that there is almost no liquid in them, the concentration of fiber increases significantly. So, dried mushrooms already contain up to 26 g of coarse fibers, and dried fruits - 13-18 g.

Fresh fruits and berries have an average of only 0.3-2g of fiber. The exceptions are sea buckthorn - 4.7 g, black currant - 3 g and red currant - 2.5 g. Fresh vegetables also do not have a high fiber content and have an average of 1.4-7 g for every 100 g of their weight..

A lot of fiber can also be found in nuts. There, depending on the variety, the amount of the substance can reach 12 g, but the average is 7-10 g.

Soluble fiber

Since the ratio of soluble and insoluble fiber in the diet should be observed for proper nutrition, the content of pectins in products should be consideredseparately. They are found only in fresh vegetables, fruits and berries.

Their concentration largely depends on the variety of crop, its ripening period and place of growth, but even taking into account such deviations, it is possible to distinguish products in which the pectin content always remains maximum. Among them:

• currant (5.5-12.5 g);
• peaches (5-9 g);
• apples (4.5-7.5g);
• quince (5.5-9.5g);
• cucumbers (6-9.5 g);
• sweet pepper (6-8.5 g);
• eggplant (5.2-9g);
• carrots (6-8 g).

Harm and prohibition of use

Despite the great he alth benefits of foods containing fiber, some are interested in this in order to not eat it. The fact is that it is forbidden to use coarse fibers for people with digestive disorders, as this can provoke severe abdominal pain, vomiting, bloating or diarrhea. Similar symptoms are observed in those who have been eating only soft food for a long time. That is why it is necessary to increase the amount of fiber in the diet gradually and be sure to increase the amount of fluid you drink per day along with it.