There are two broad types of fi ber:
soluble and insoluble. Soluble fi ber dissolves in water
and changes as it goes through the digestive tract, where it is fermented by bacteria. As it absorbs water, it becomes gelatinous. Insoluble fi ber does not dissolve in water and does not change as it moves through the gut. Both types of fi ber are
present in all plant foods. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains are rich in fi ber. Dairy products, white bread, and other starches, on the other hand, have little fi ber. Most foods high in fi ber are also rich in health-boosting vitamins and other essential nutrients.
Both types of fi ber have been Only
of Americans meet their daily fiber needs.
10%
a focus of nutritional research. Fibersol-2 (maltodextrin) is a soluble corn fi ber that acts as a low-calorie bulking agent containing 90 percent dietary fi ber. Inulins are a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides produced by many types of plants, but most often extracted from chicory. Inulins are part of a class of dietary fi bers known as fructans and are present in more than 36,000 species of plants, including wheat, onion, bananas, garlic, asparagus, and chicory. The Academy of
Nutrition and Dietetics
FIBER BENEFITS Food sources loaded with insoluble
fi ber include dark green leafy ones, root vegetable skins, fruit skins, whole wheat products, wheat bran, corn bran, nuts, and seeds. Insoluble fi ber has many benefi ts: It promotes regular bowel
movements and prevents constipation. It speeds the elimination of toxic
waste through the colon. Balances pH in the intestines,
and helps prevent microbes from producing substances which can lead to colorectal cancer. Foods rich in soluble fi ber include
kidney beans, pinto beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach, zucchini, apples, oranges, grapes, prunes, oatmeal, and whole-wheat bread. Soluble fi ber also has many
benefi ts: Binds with fatty acids, slowing the
rate of sugar absorption by the body, keeping blood sugar stable. Reduces cholesterol, especially
levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol. Regulates sugar intake, which
is key for diabetics and those with metabolic syndrome.
EAT YOUR VEGETABLES Your mother was right — vegetables are key to good health.
recommends women consume 25 grams of fi ber daily and men 38 grams (75 percent soluble; 25 percent insoluble). After age 50, the academy suggests women drop their intake to 21 grams and men to 30 grams. Eating at least fi ve servings of
fruits and vegetables each day, as well as some whole grain products, will generally provide suffi cient fi ber. But for some, a fi ber supplement can fi ll in the gaps.
THE SCIENCE OF FIBER There have been many studies that
have identifi ed the health benefi ts of eating fi ber: People who eat the most fi ber
are less likely to die of any cause, according to research by the Shanghai Cancer Institute in China that
tracked the medical charts of nearly 1 million people. The fi nding might be explained by fi ber’s potential to lower the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and several types of cancer, say the researchers, who analyzed 17 previous studies that tracked 982,411 men and women, mostly in Europe and the United States. Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center found the consumption of soluble fi ber can protect from heart disease by reducing cholesterol levels, and reducing the risk for colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids. Harvard School of Public Health
food scientists have determined heart attack survivors who get the recommended amount of fi ber live longer, based on a study of more than 4,000 U.S. adults who’d suff ered a fi rst-time heart attack. University of Illinois food
scientists have linked dietary fi ber to a boost in benefi cial gut bacteria that can drive weight loss. University of Illinois researcher
Hannah Holscher says the latest research adds to the growing body of scientifi c evidence that shows fi ber and gut bacteria play a major role in many health issues, as well as obesity. “The take-home is if people want to make changes to their diet and have a healthier gut, they need to be everyday changes,” she adds. “We need more fi ber in our diets.” Holscher notes that only 10 percent of Americans meet their daily fi ber needs, with most only eating about half of what experts recommend in a daily diet. “We’re hoping this study helps
people realize that diet — what you eat every day — does aff ect the bacteria in your gut,” he said. “We saw these dramatic shifts in bacterial populations with fi ber supplementation, but then those shifts went away when people stopped using the supplements.”
MARCH 2015 | NEWSMAX MAXLIFE 87
ICON/ROOMOFTUNES/DOLLAR PHOTO CLUB / BASKET/©S_PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92