This article on fiber deficiency is actually Part 3 in my blog's 5 part series on Nutritional Deficiencies.
Part 1: Vitamin D Deficiency and Part 2: Magnesium Deficiency are available on my main blog. and Part 4: Calcium Deficiency and Part 5: Iodine Deficiency will published on this blog shortly. I hope you enjoy the articles and leave us your feedback.
What Is Fiber And Why Is It Good For Us?
Dietary
Fiber is a regular buzz word in health conscious circles, but why is
this nutrient so important to our health?
Well, first off, fiber aids
digestion and helps us maintain regular bowels.
It also helps
prevent obesity, makes us feel satiated after meals, therefore
stopping over-eating.
Fiber can help prevent and control high
cholesterol and aids in the prevention of heart disease.
This is
because fiber is able to bind to cholesterol and eradicate it from
the digestive system, thereby lowering the amount of cholesterol in
the blood, and arteries.
Fiber also helps control blood sugar levels
through delaying the absorption of sugars and therefore the insulin
response to carbohydrates. This can help prevent the development of
diabetes and helps manage the condition in those who are already
diabetic.
Fiber has been quoted by Dr. Lustig as the nature's antidote to sugar. The digestion of fructose found in fiber-less processed foods has been the major cause of the obesity epidemic.
After watching Dr. Lustig's famous, "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" video, we were inspired to create our own free 23-page Sugar Detox guide to help people fully appreciate the dangers of continuing to eat a fiber-less, sugar laden daily diet.
Feel free to download it and leave us your feedback. We hope it helps improve your health and well-being.
It
is also widely considered that fiber also aids the prevention of a
number of cancers, particularly colon and rectal cancers.
Irritable
Bowel Syndrome is another disorder aided by the intake of fiber as it
supports the passing of stools through sufferers' extra-sensitive
intestines.
Overall,
fiber is considered to be the edible parts of plants that cannot be
broken down by our digestive enzymes.
However, the distinction
between 'dietary fiber' and 'added fiber' is something that requires
some attention.
Dietary fiber is non-digestible carbohydrates and
lignin that are natural and whole in plants, while added fiber is
non-digestible carbohydrates proven to be beneficial to humans which
have been isolated and added to foodstuffs during processing.
Although
fiber is labelled as non-digestible, the health benefits from fiber
can only be realised through some level of digestive functioning.
For some sources of fiber, extra chewing is needed for the nutrient
to involve
itself in bodily processes.
Soluble
Vs. Insoluble Fiber
There
another distinction to make, between two different forms of fiber:
soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber supports the lowering of
cholesterol and the maintenance of blood sugar levels while insoluble fiber promotes regular bowel movements.
Foods
Containing Fiber
Here are three
main food groups that are good sources of fiber: fruit, vegetables and
whole grains. We aren't big fans of wheat but that is another story.
So, for anyone eating a healthy, balanced diet it
shouldn't be too difficult to meet recommended levels for fiber
consumption. However, in amongst each group certain products are
preferable sources.
Spinach
and leafy green vegetables are excellent choices, as are many beans,
carrots, tomatoes, peppers and lentils.
A number of herbs and spices
contain fiber, including coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves and
oregano. When it comes to fruit; raspberries, strawberries,
cranberries, apples and pears are good providers.
Choosing
grains can prove confusing at times, while all whole grains are
beneficial some of the most commonly eaten grains don't contain the
highest levels of fiber.
Check packaging to determine how good the
grains you're buying really are (many companies play up on the 'whole
grains' buzz and may mislead customers as to how good their product
really is).
Anything with a fiber content of 4-14g per cooked cup is
pretty good going.
Whole wheat, flax, quinoa and barley contain good
levels of fiber.
Processing
interferes greatly with the amount of fiber present in the finished
product, bread and fruit juice being two prime examples.
Both would
have started with high levels of fiber in their raw, unprocessed
states but commercial processing all but eliminates their fiber
content.
So, don't just assume the products you are buying contain
high levels of fiber – check the label!
Recommended
Daily Allowances
For
adults the recommended daily allowance for fiber is 20-35g. It is
thought that an average American citizen consumes around 15g per day,
and anything under 18-20g is considered a low amount, and puts that
person at risk of deficiency.
For
children, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that
consumption of fiber is the child's age plus 5g.
For example, a 10
year old child should consume 15g of fiber per day.
Symptoms
Of Fiber Deficiency
As
daily intake of fiber protects against a number of difficulties,
disorders and diseases are the consequence of not consuming enough fiber.
The
first thing most people who are not consuming enough fiber will
notice is constipation.
Constipation is generally characterised by
hard, painful stools passed less than three times per week.
If you
notice this in yourself, try eating fiber-rich food and drinking plenty of water and you should notice an improvement, if not consult
a medical professional.
It is important to introduce fiber-rich
foods gradually rather than overloading your system as this can cause
bloating, diarrhea, cramping and gas.
Related
to constipation are hemorrhoids; these are swollen veins near the
rectum and anus which occur when an individual is straining to
produce a bowel movement i.e. when they are constipated.
If this
occurs, you should consult a medical professional, but whilst
receiving treatment you can help the recovery process by eating
plenty of fiber-rich foods, keeping your stools soft.
More
serious conditions that can result from fiber deficiency include
diverticulitis.
This digestive disorder involves the development of
swollen, irritated sacs on the digestive tract.
A rupture to these
sacs can lead to waste material being deposited on the abdomen,
potentially causing infection.
Antibiotics can treat cases of
diverticulitis but, as with many conditions, the best scenario is
prevention.
Too
Much Fiber
You
can have too much of a good thing, well some people can.
Consuming
more than 50g of fiber per day can lead to obstructions in the
intestines for some individuals. Most people however will benefit
from this high level of fiber consumption.
However,
all of us need to be aware that suddenly increasing intake can lead
to dehydration through more regular bowel movements, and mineral
deficiencies may also result through increased excretion.
It is
advisable to be particularly aware of this should your diet already
be lacking in minerals or during phases of life which require added
mineral input, pregnancy for example.
This holds true too for
individuals taking regular medication, as increased fiber consumption
may interfere with the absorption, and therefore efficacy, of the
treatment.
Prognosis
Although a lack of fiber can produce and contribute to some uncomfortable, and
at times serious, difficulties, it is a deficiency that can be easily
avoided through a healthy diet.
Taking into consideration possible
warning signs, such as changes in bowel movements, can help prevent
the difficulties worsening.
One word of warning though is to always
read the label of products claiming to contain dietary and/or added
fiber.
As previously stated, fiber is a buzz word in healthy eating
and products may not contain the high levels of fiber they claim
should you investigate further.
Have a great day and here is the link again to our free 23-page sugar detox guide if you are in need of breaking a possible sugar addiction and/or are wanting to regain your youth and vitality.
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