Fiber: what is it, benefits and harms, content in food

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

Many people have heard about such a product as fiber. What is dietary fiber, probably everyone knows. However, fiber is still being studied. Studies have shown that the presence of such ballast substances in the human diet can protect the body from the development of cancer. In addition, there is weight loss, as well as the normalization of the heart.

What properties does fiber have

What is a substance like fiber that has a beneficial effect on the human body, scientists have long identified. Dietary fiber has many properties. They belong to an underestimated class of carbohydrates, which consist of saccharides - individual units lined up in a long chain. However, dietary fiber is different from those found in starchy and sugary foods. Fiber in the gastrointestinal tract practically does not undergo fermentation. The product passes through the organs and is excreted unchanged. It is for this reason that fiber is classified as a rough food that promotes quick and easy bowel movements.

In addition, dietary fiber has other properties, including:

1. Maintain normal blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
2. Remove toxins from the body.
3. Improve the intestinal microflora.
4. Weight control.

Soluble fiber

So, what are the varieties of fiber? Not everyone knows what soluble fibers are and where they are found. Such fiber has many positive properties. Highlights:

1. The ability to dissolve in water.
2. Having a viscous handicap.
3. Easy digestion by bacteria found in the large intestine.
4. Availability.

The benefits and harms of fiber have long been described. This ingredient is found in many products. Therefore, it will not be difficult to introduce dietary fiber into your diet. Soluble fiber is found in strawberries, citrus fruits, barley, oats, rice bran, peas, and beans. Such dietary fiber in products can protect the heart from many ailments. There is no need to use them specifically. It is enough to diversify your diet and introduce just a few servings of the above products.

Insoluble fiber

What is insoluble fiber? These fibers are also called coarse. Among their properties, it is worth highlighting:

1. Insoluble in water.
2. No viscous form.
3. Virtually unaffected by enzymes.
4. Found in vegetables and grains.

There are many reasons why fiber should be in everyone's diet. After all, dietary fiber helps to avoid the developmentsome diseases, as well as prolong the beauty and youth of our body.

Cholesterol Reduction

Cholesterol is mostly produced by the liver. Therefore, the role of this substance is significant. However, its excessive amount very often leads to the development of certain heart diseases.

Soluble fiber allows you to limit the recycling of bile acids, which consist mainly of cholesterol. These substances take part in the processes of splitting and further absorption of fats. Cholesterol, which is found in bile acids, can be absorbed by the body along with other substances that make up food and return back to the liver. Soluble fibers prevent this. They bind cholesterol in acids and increase its excretion from the body. As a result, the human body absorbs much less of it and excretes more.

Gut he alth

What other he alth benefits does fiber have? What is the intestinal microflora, you can not explain. She is the first to suffer from malnutrition. As a result, there is a failure in the work of many organs of the digestive system. Many beneficial bacteria are representatives of microecology. They live in symbiosis with our body. Of course, not all microorganisms are beneficial. Some of them are pathogenic. Everyone knows that probiotics can eliminate pathogenic bacteria, strengthen the immune system, and cleanse the walls of the stomach and intestines. The basis for such drugsfiber serves. It is she who is the food of many beneficial microorganisms. They need it for normal growth, as well as for creating he althy and strong colonies.

Important Research

As many studies show, dietary fiber can improve the intestinal microflora. Ballast substances have a beneficial effect on the growth of beneficial bacteria. Scientists from Illinois, who conducted research in this area, recently published a report that described in detail the relationship between the development of bacterial colonies and dietary enzyme fibers. Fiber is what the human body needs in diseases such as diabetes, obesity. And also with metabolic disorders of the intestinal microflora. This indicates that there should be enough fiber in the diet. After all, a he althy microflora is a protection against many intestinal diseases and diabetes.

Following studies by scientists from Illinois have shown that fiber affects the number of bacteria. In this case, several types of maize dietary fiber were studied. Studies have shown that a certain type of fiber can influence changes in the intestinal microflora. This suggests that probiotics, as well as dietary fiber, will be personalized in the near future. They will be based on the characteristics of the microflora of each person. For those who suffer from metabolic disorders, obesity, and gastrointestinal ailments, such discoveries will be of particular importance.

Other properties of fiber

The benefits and harms of fiber for manyobvious. However, someone does not even realize that dietary fiber allows you to normalize weight. Once in the stomach, fiber gradually swells and increases in size. Due to this property, a person can consume significantly less food rich in dietary fiber. As a result, the feeling of satiety comes quickly and for a long time. In this case, the body receives fewer calories.

Vitamins, fiber, trace elements - these substances are important for human he alth. Dietary fiber is able to attract water and significantly increase in size. It is worth noting that fiber lingers longer in the human stomach. As a result, there is a slowdown in the absorption of various carbohydrates into the blood. Which, in turn, prevents the release of glucose that is dangerous for the body.

In addition, soluble and coarse fiber allows you to cleanse the organs of toxins. When ballast substances reach the large intestine, they gradually begin to bind carcinogens, harmful components for their further removal from the body. Excess toxic products and hormones are often reabsorbed by organs, which adversely affects human he alth.

How to increase the amount of dietary fiber in the diet

Fiber in the human diet must be required. To feel all the properties of dietary fiber, you need to consume up to 35 grams of the product per day. Of course, when calculating dosages, age is of particular importance. Women under 50 years of ageIt is recommended to consume up to 25 grams of fiber, men - about 38, women who are already over 50 - 21 grams, and men - 30 grams.

Of course, to get used to such volumes, it will take some time to adapt. Do not forget that fiber is found in vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes. Therefore, you need to make your diet right. Here are some tips for beginners:

1. Intake of dietary fiber should be increased gradually over several weeks.
2. In the process of recovery, you need to drink plenty of fluids. Thanks to this, dietary fiber will soften much faster, and then move through the digestive tract.
3. To get the most benefit, eat a balanced diet of coarse and soluble fiber.
4. When compiling a diet, the amount of ballast substances should be counted. To do this, use the tables of products that contain dietary fiber.

In closing

American scientists have witnessed the following statistics: the average US citizen consumes only 12 to 17 grams of dietary fiber per day. Since many are simply not able to regulate their diet on their own, experts recommend using not only natural products, but also special biologically active preparations.