Health Forums and Medical Discussions » Fiber

Fiber is a Healthy Food

baby — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:39:49 +0000

We often talk about the advantages of different types of fiber. Soluble fiber helps to remove fat, while insoluble fiber helps the movement of feces. Not only should we be attentive enough fiber, but also must be careful in selecting its type, depending on the problem to be treated or prevented.

Most natural fiber foods contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.

Due to the virtues of fiber, Dietary Guidelines for all countries agree to promote the consumption of foods containing fiber. However, adding additional products to food high in fiber is justified only in people who do not eat enough fiber-rich plant foods. In addition, individual cases requiring specific indications for the treatment of specific disease must be handled individually by professionals aware of the problem.

The Benefits of Fiber

baby — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:51:29 +0000

In recent years, fiber has become an interesting topic of conversation, because it established an important partnership between consumption and health.

It all started when several scientific studies conducted in various parts of the world have shown that populations consuming foods rich in fiber have a lower occurrence of certain diseases. However, the accompanying commercial interest in news has managed to become mainstream and manipulation of the results of these investigations.

As a result, promotes the consumption of fiber and the public the impression that the higher the consumption, the benefits will be greater. Such statements are opposed to that old principle that applies to everything in life, especially food: the misuse of a product can convert their benefits into trouble.

Digestive virtues

The biggest benefit is that fiber helps to increase the volume of intestinal contents and to provide some of the digestive functions when, moreover, is getting enough water throughout the day.

Fiber helps remove excess food substances that the body needs in small amounts, and others that may be harmful if they remain in the intestine long time. An example of the former are the fat part of the excess of which can be eliminated with the help of the fiber when the bowel is working normally. An example of the latter are known as carcinogenic substances, that by staying in contact with the intestinal wall for a long time (as in cases of constipation) encourage the production and growth of malignant tumors in the digestive tract. Thus, dietary fiber helps prevent heart disease and bowel cancer, among others.

Like everything in life

If you consume excessive amounts of fiber, rather than consume this substance in moderation, you could lose the benefits that fiber provides. In addition to experiencing an uncomfortable feeling of fullness permanent (due to gases produced by fermentation of large amounts of fiber), you could lose significant amounts of minerals and vitamins essential to your health. These substances pass through the digestive tract without the body has a chance to absorb them.

The latter situation is even worse when it occurs in people who have limited their intake of vitamins and minerals each time they make one of his several fad diets for weight loss. Sadly, the same motivation of poorly planned strict dieting leads to abuse in fiber intake.

Description Of Fiber?

baby — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:43:08 +0000

For the past few decades have studied the benefits of a diet rich in fiber. The interest began to observe that people in some parts of Africa did not suffer quite certain diseases common in urban areas, especially in Western countries.

Dietary fiber is a component of certain plant foods, which owns the property in transit through the human digestive tract without being absorbed. This feature makes it play important roles in the body. Among them is to help the passage of other foods through the gut and ease the evacuation of the materials are not recoverable in the form of stool and abundant wetter and therefore easier to remove. This happens because fiber-rich foods better hold liquids, helping to control constipation.

Chemically, the fibers are divided into five main variants: cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, lignin and binders. We can also differentiate between these two groups : soluble and insoluble.

For specialists, the minimum daily fiber intake is 30 grams. You can ensure this intake by eating different foods and natural, with great presence of vegetables and fruits, if possible in its shell. This should, therefore, be well sanitized. These foods with soluble and insoluble fiber should be incorporated into every meal. This habit can be supplemented drinking good amounts of fluid.

We recommend starting with a moderate amount of fiber and then increase gradually, to avoid possible reactions in people with levels of intolerance.

The fibers are found mainly in whole grains (without husking), whole wheat bread, cornmeal, unpeeled fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, etc.

Increase fiber intake reduced abdominal fat

Ann Brown — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:53:32 +0000

A new study shows that eating just a little more fiber would have great impact in reducing the waist size of youth in America. Latin adolescents who increased their fiber intake for two years managed to reduce significantly the amount of fat around the waist, while young people who ate less fiber increased abdominal size.

These were the team’s findings Jaimie N. Davis, of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. The team was studying the abdominal fat, which is the most dangerous because it increases the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. The authors were asked to 85 men and women between 11 and 17 years are overweight to respond in an initial questionnaire and two years later on eating habits. At that age, “Davis said, the diet of some trends are worsening.

Consumption fell about 3 grams fiber per 1,000 calories in 46 participants and raised in the same proportion in another 35.

Abdominal fat increased by 21 percent in those who ate less fiber, but declined by 4 percent in those who increased their consumption. “Even a slight reduction of dietary fiber has a significant metabolic effect,” Davis said. The recommended fiber intake for young people is 14 grams per 1,000 calories consumed, or about 25-30 grams per day.

From these results, Davis said, increasing 6 grams of fiber daily (half a cup of beans or wheat tortilla) tremendously alter the waist size of the young. “It is a possible target for children” he said. People of any age who want to improve fiber intake must carefully read food labels.

“That says ‘whole wheat’ or ‘multigrain’ does not mean it is a good source of fiber. People think that if it is brown, is wheat is good, but not necessarily so,” she explained. Instead, Davis advised people to check the Nutrition Facts label for grams of fiber the food contains per serving.

The researcher said the findings would not be applicable to other ethnic young because Latinos were more likely than whites and blacks to accumulate fat in the abdominal area.

“The increase in fiber intake would have positive effects in all cultures, but different,” Davis concluded.