Dietary Fiber
“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
1 Corinthians 9:16
Most of us haven't a clue how many grams of fiber we get from our diets on a typical day. Yet for many Americans, this number should be doubled.
The American Dietetic Association reports that most of us don't even come close to the recommended intake of 20 grams to 35 grams of fiber a day. Americans' mean fiber intake is about half that --14-15 grams a day.
The SAD (standard American diet) is based on our taste buds. What we have been conditioned to believe “tastes good” Not what is good for us. Before we can get healthy that idea has to be changed. Fiber is good for you and will keep you healthy. Without it you will gain weight and eventually embrace disease. It's up to you. Our fiberless diet, I believe, is the number one cause of Type 2 Diabetes.
Eating a higher-fiber diet, as part of an overall healthful lifestyle, may play a role in a healthful BMI (body bio mass index) One study found that people who ate more whole grains and total fiber consistently gained less weight over 12 years than those who ate less fiber. Another study found that people with low-fiber diets were more likely to be overweight than those following high-fiber diets. "Weight control advice for American women should place greater emphasis on consumption of fiber," notes one of the studys researchers, Megan McCrory, PhD.
That's not surprising when you consider that we get fiber from 'roughage' like fruits, vegetables, sprouted whole grains, nuts/seeds, and beans. The typical American isn't exactly loading his or her plate with these foods (you'd be hard-pressed to find a fruit, vegetable, whole grain, or bean in your average fast-food value meal).
The main action of dietary fiber is to change the nature of the contents of the gastrointestinal tract, and to change how other nutrients and chemicals are absorbed. Soluble fiber binds to bile acids in the small intestine, making them less likely to enter the body; this in turn lowers cholesterol levels in the blood. Soluble fiber also diminishes the absorption of sugar, reduces sugar response after eating, normalizes blood lipid (fats) levels and, once fermented in the colon, produces short-chain fatty acids as by products with wide-ranging physiological activities. Although insoluble fiber is associated with reduced diabetes risk, the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown.
The disadvantage of a diet high in fiber is the potential for significant intestinal gas production and bloating. Constipation can still occur if insufficient fluid is not consumed with a high-fiber diet.
This table explains the benefits of Dietary fiber still further.
Table legend
Color coding of table entries:- Both Applies to both soluble and insoluble fiber
- Soluble Applies to soluble fiber only
- Insoluble Applies to insoluble fiber only
Dietary fiber functions and benefits
| Functions | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Increases food volume without increasing caloric content, providing satiety | May reduce appetite |
| Attracts water and turns to gel during digestion, trapping carbohydrates and slowing absorption of glucose | Lowers variance in blood sugar levels |
| Lowers total and LDL cholesterol | Reduces risk of heart disease |
| Regulates blood sugar | May reduce onset risk or symptoms of metabolic syndrome and diabetes |
| Speeds the passage of foods through the digestive system | Facilitates regularity |
| Adds bulk to the stool | Alleviates constipation |
| Balances intestinal pH and stimulates intestinal fermentation production of short-chain fatty acids | May reduce risk of colorectal cancer |
Studies done in the 1970's began the media frenzy on “High Fiber diets. The studies were done by a Doctor studying the effects of high fiber diets on certain “primitive” African peoples. It was found they had almost no diabetes, constipation, colon cancer, or irritable bowel syndrome. His studies supported the idea that high fiber diets account for good intestinal health.
With the ever present baseline desire for the accumulation of wealth (not health) in this country the Marketers jumped on the band wagon and using un-sprouted grains, and cereals, high production, low cost per dollar of profit foods) began their assault on the American public with the “Bran Flakes = good fiber sales pitch. Only problem with that is, the African people studied, ate almost no grains and absolutely no Bran. The grains they did eat were the sprouted type. (More on that later)
Un-sprouted Grains and especially Bran, have been shown to be high in Phytates. Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient that actually carries nutrients, especially minerals, out of the body, rather than help to process them. Phytates are a major contributor to poor health in Americans who believe eating a lot of Bran type cereals is healthy for them.
What are sources for healthy, low carbohydrate dietary fiber?
Broccoli, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, soaked or sprouted seeds, nuts, grains, and legumes, berries and other small fruits, and fruits and vegetables with edible skins. I also highly recommend eating Chia
and Flax seeds. They are a source of mucilaginous fiber which has all of the above benefits of other good sources of dietary fiber and will reduce inflamation in the lining of the gut.
(“The Makers Diet” Jordan Rubin)
Here's a tasty little recipe to quickly up your fiber intake:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole organic milk (organic = no antibiotics or hormones added – grass fed cow or goat
- 1/2 cup organic yogurt or kefir (I prefer the kefir)
- 1/2 banana, peeled and chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flax seed
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
- I like to throw in some Blackberries if I have them.
Directions
- In a blender, blend the milk, yogurt/kefir, banana, , flax seed, honey, and strawberries until smooth.
Juicing is a good quick and tasty way to get the benefit of a lot of fruit and vegetables, however I can not emphasize the necessity to train yourself to eat these, in their raw form,at every meal.
No comments:
Post a Comment