All you need to know about FIBER

Hello Readers…

Any ways I am here again with a post that will make u understand about the “FIBER”, an important ingredient of a balanced diet.

Dietary Fiber (DF) are highly complex substances that can be described as any nondigestible carbohydrates and lignins not degraded in the upper gut.

✔️Types:-

DF are classified according to their solubility in water,

1.soluble fiber :
which dissolves in water and absorbs fluid as it passes through the digestive system, creating softer, larger stools.

Eg. Pectin, inulin, Beta glucans etc.

Food sources of soluble fiber include oat bran, apples, oranges, berries, carrots, psyllium and various vegetables.

2.insoluble fiber:
insoluble fiber (roughage) absorbs water and makes stool bulkier to help bowel movements pass more easily.

Eg. NSP (non starchy polysaccharides) like cellulose and hemicellulose

Food sources of income fiber are barley, corn, rice, bran, whole wheat, vegetables and skin of apple and pear.

✔️ Benefits of DF:-

A high-fiber diet has many benefits, which include:

Normalizes bowel movements.
DF increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it, as a result helps in constipation.
In case of loose, watery stools, fiber may help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool.

Helps maintain intestinal health.
A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease).
Lowers cholesterol levels
Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or “bad,” cholesterol levels.

Good for heart health
Studies have shown that high-fiber foods may have other heart-health benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
Helps control blood sugar levels. In people with diabetes, fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood sugar levels.

A healthy diet that includes insoluble fiber may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Helps in reducing weight:
High-fiber foods tend to be more filling than low-fiber foods, so you’re likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer. And high-fiber foods tend to take longer to eat and to be less “energy dense,” which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.high fiber foods burn more calories during digestion than what they have
These are called negative calorie foods they have a low glycemic index.Apples, carrots, cucumber and lettuce all are negative calorie foods

prevents colorectal cancer.
Some study shows that regular intake of high fiber diet may reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer, however, the evidence that fiber reduces colorectal cancer is mixed.

✔️Ways to increase fiber in diet???

In the breakfast, Opt for cereals with “whole grain,” “bran” or “fiber” in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.

Switch to whole grains. Foods are assumed to be whole grains if all components of the kernel (i.e., bran, germ, and endosperm) are present in their natural proportions. Whole grain food products generally contain some 12% of total DF. Chose whole wheat bread, whole wheat flour,brown rice, wild rice, barley, whole-wheat pasta and bulgur (Daliya)wheat are
Substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour when baking. Try adding crushed bran cereal, unprocessed wheat bran or uncooked oatmeal to muffins, cakes and cookies. Add bran(chokar) to atta for making chapaties.

Beans, peas and lentils are excellent sources of fiber. Add kidney beans to soups and green salads.Eat green mung cheelas, boiled sprouts, whole dalls etc.

Eat more fruit and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals.

Add some healthy snacks,low-fat popcorn, steamed sweet corns or roasted corns and whole-grain crackers ,an occasional handful of nuts or dry fruits also is a healthy, high-fiber snack — although be aware that nuts and dried fruits are high in calories.

✔️✔️Points to remember while adding high fiber to your diet

Adding too much fiber too quickly can promote intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and cramping.

Increase fiber in your diet gradually over a period of a few weeks. This allows the natural bacteria in your digestive system to adjust to the change.

Also, drink plenty of water. Fiber works best when it absorbs water, making your stool soft and bulky.

note:- Refined or processed foods, such as canned fruits and vegetables, pulp-free juices, white breads and pastas, and non-whole-grain cereals are lower in fiber. The grain-refining process removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, which lowers its fiber content.