Fiber Cleans Intestines, Slows Release Of Sugar Into Bloodstream
The mention of fiber may conjure images of Euell Gibbons talking about the edible parts of pine trees or oat husks getting stuck in your teeth. Let’s take a closer look at fiber and how it is a necessary and often overlooked component of our food.
Fiber is mostly carbohydrate, but our intestines lack the necessary enzymes to chemically alter it into a usable fuel source. Horses, cows, sheep and other animals can break down fibers - such as hay - into fuel, but we can’t.
Main sources of dietary fiber include whole-grain products, fruits (especially prunes and figs), vegetables, peas and legumes (lentils and beans). These foods contain a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibers; your body needs both types.
Fiber’s main function is to help remove toxins and waste from the intestinal tract and to slow the release of blood sugar into the bloodstream. Without a balance of soluble and insoluble fibers, conditions such as colon cancer, insulin-resistant diabetes, diverticulosis, chronic diarrhea and constipation can occur.
Soluble fiber acts like a sponge in your intestinal tract. The absorbent fibers attract water, bacteria, waste matter and cholesterol-rich bile acids, helping to lower cholesterol levels by carrying the bile acids out of your body.
In the process, soluble fiber is fermented in the intestinal tract by healthful bacteria. Fermentation is necessary for maintaining a healthful pH (acid/base) balance and prevents unwanted organisms from inhabiting your intestinal tract. An unpleasant byproduct of fermentation is intestinal gas; you can minimize gas production by gradually increasing your fiber intake and drinking plenty of water.
Soluble fiber also helps regulate blood sugar levels from swinging too high or low by slowing the release of sugars into the bloodstream. For example, apple juice lacks soluble fiber; when you drink it, blood sugar levels rise 50 percent faster than if you eat a soluble fiber-rich apple. Slower rises in blood sugar maintain steadier energy levels.
Concentrated sources of soluble fiber are oat bran and psyllium seed husk.
Insoluble fibers act like small scrapers that remove intestinal toxins and waste, absorbing up to 15 times their weights in water, bacteria and waste. Beneficial for constipation and hemorrhoids, insoluble fiber stimulates intestinal movement, called peristalsis. Insoluble fiber is not fermented in the intestine and has no effect on cholesterol levels.
Concentrated sources of insoluble fiber are wheat and rice bran.
How much fiber do we need? The American Cancer Society recommends eating a combination of five servings of fruits and vegetables and at least six servings of whole-grain products each day. (One serving is equal to one medium apple, 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw vegetables, one slice whole-grain bread, and 1/2 cup cooked pasta, grain, potato or legumes.)
Each serving of fruits, vegetables and whole grains supplies approximately 2-3 grams fiber, for a daily total of 28 grams - if you follow the guidelines. However, the average American eats only 9 to 13 grams of fiber each day.
Reading food labels can help you determine your total daily fiber intake. Look for “Fiber” listed under “Total Carb” on the label. Foods such as lean meats, eggs, milk, yogurt and many refined carbohydrates have little or no fiber. Legumes like black, kidney, garbanzo, pinto and navy beans and lentils are among the highest-fiber foods available.
Chef Marla Emde of Sprouts Fresh Cafe in Spokane recommends using lentils as a quick and easy way to boost your fiber intake. One-half cup of cooked lentils has a whopping 7.8 grams of total dietary fiber, a mixture of soluble and insoluble.
Emde puts lentils on salads and in burritos and stir-frys. Lentils add a natural peppery taste to food and cook in a snap. Bring 3 cups water to a boil, add 1 cup lentils, stir, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes or until tender. Cooked lentils keep up to four days in the refrigerator and two months in the freezer.
It’s about time fiber took on a new image other than oat husks and pine trees. Remember to increase your fiber intake gradually and choose from a variety of fiber-rich food sources.
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The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Craig T. Hunt The Spokesman-Review