Fiber: Get Your Fill
Are you interested in self-improvement from a health perspective? How about reducing your risk of heart disease and certain cancers? Do you dream of glowing skin and satisfying bowel movements?
If any of the above questions apply to you, then congratulations, you’ve come to the right place.
Welcome to the magical world of fiber.
Fiber = Plants
Fiber, also known as roughage or bulk, is one of the keys to improving your body and its functions. Found in a plant’s cell walls, fiber is a type of carbohydrate that passes through the GI tract relatively undigested. Meaning it’s not broken down by the body.
During transit, fiber absorbs water and supports healthy bowel movements.
Two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble; soluble dissolves in water maintains healthy cholesterol and insoluble, which doesn’t dissolve in water and adds bulk to the stool. Under these categories are many other types of fiber, including inulin, cellulose, psyllium, beta gluons, pectins, lignin, and resistant starch. The consensus is to get a variety of fiber in your diet to obtain all of the health benefits it can provide.
Getting Enough Fiber
While fiber is an essential nutrient, most Americans get much less than they should. The Institute of Health estimates that only 5% of adults get the recommended amount of fiber. The recommendations advise women to get 25gm per day, while men should aim for 38gm. These numbers are slightly lower for adults over 50 (21 and 30gm per day).
An easy tip is to aim for 25–30 grams per day. You can determine how much fiber is in your diet by logging your food on an app, such as myfitnesspal, or by preplanning your food and counting grams of fiber. Typically, if someone has an abundance of plants in their diet, like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, they’ll likely meet their daily fiber quota.
Fiber helps support health in several different ways. It can help support a feeling of satiety or fullness, possibly aiding in weight management. It helps to lower cholesterol and reduces the risk of certain types of cancers. It protects the body from heart disease and can manage IBS, along with other gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and constipation.
Another benefit of fiber is that it can help you to maintain a healthy blood sugar range and is anti-inflammatory. Helping to eliminate waste from the body can help clean up the body’s largest organ, your skin.
Fiber also helps to nourish and support the good bacteria in the GI tract. This is good news as healthy gut bacteria is linked to everything from weight loss to improving depression.
Finding Fiber
As previously said, fiber comes from plants and plants only. When you eat an apple, you’re eating fiber. When you add beans to your burrito, you’re consuming fiber. Fruits, vegetables, beans and lentils, nuts, whole grains, and seeds are good sources of fiber.
The more processed or packaged foods you eat, the less fiber you’re likely to consume. During the processing of plant foods, like rice and wheat, fiber and other nutrients are being stripped from the original product. Losing these nutrients lowers the food’s health benefits in a variety of ways.
One way you can tell if one food has more fiber than another is through its density and texture; white bread has that soft, stick to the roof of your mouth texture because it’s been more processed. In contrast, whole wheat bread is denser and has a heartier texture.
Fiber in Food
Below are the fiber amounts of some common plant foods.
• 1 large pear with skin (7 grams)
• 1 cup fresh raspberries (8 grams)
• ½ medium avocado (5 grams)
• 1-ounce almonds (3.5 grams)
• ½ cup cooked black beans (7.5 grams)
• 3 cups air-popped popcorn (3.6 grams)
• 1 cup cooked pearled barley (6 grams)
Tips to increase fiber in the diet include:
• Using brown rice or cauliflower rice instead of white rice
• Buy whole-wheat bread rather than white bread
• Add fruits and vegetables to blended smoothies
• Load up soups and chili with as many veggies as possible
• Try old fashioned oats with fresh berries and nuts
• Always eat the fruit rather than drinking the juice
- Aim for two servings of fruit per day and 5+ servings of vegetables
Cannabis and Fiber
Where does cannabis come into play with fiber? Since cannabis is a plant, it also contains fiber. Hemp, a part of the cannabis plant, can be sold in the form of hemp protein powder. It can be purchased at most national retail stores, health-food stores, and is also available online. The fiber content in hemp protein powder can vary depending on the brand, between 5–14 grams. To put it in perspective, 14 grams is more than half of an adult woman’s recommended daily amount of fiber.
As another health bonus, you’re looking at an estimated 10–20 grams of plant-based protein. Hemp seeds, commonly called hemp hearts, are another great source of fiber and can be purchased at your local grocery store or online. They contain an estimated 3 grams of fiber per tablespoon. They are a great addition as a salad topper, in a smoothie, or on some greek yogurt. Combine your hemp hearts with fresh berries, walnuts, and greek yogurt for a fiber-filled protein dish.
Before Getting Your Fill of Fiber
One thing to consider when adding more fiber to your diet is to do it slowly. You want to gradually add fiber in to allow the body time to adjust to it. Make sure you drink extra water when increasing fiber or run the risk of nausea and/or constipation.
As for fiber supplements, it’s best to stick to the real thing, eating a variety of plants in your diet before reaching for a processed form of fiber.
Remember, before adding in any supplement, consult with your physician or dietitian as to your specific health-related needs.
References:
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing_fiber_intake/
