Analyzing Dietary Fiber

Not a day goes by that we are not confronted with one or another piece of information about nutritional values. Health care givers keep advising us to stay away from greasy foods, watch our cholesterol, and eat more fruits and vegetables. We all have heard the slogans and often think about them when shopping for groceries, preparing meals, or ordering from the menu at a restaurant.

One of the essential nutritional values we should pay more attention to is dietary fiber, a substance mainly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Fiber is best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation, yet can also provide other health benefits such as, lowering the risk of diabetes, as well as helping prevent heart and digestive diseases.

Dietary fiber or roughage consists mainly of cellulose, a large carbohydrate polymer. Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates, dietary fiber is indigestible to humans, because we lack the necessary digestive enzymes. There are two fiber subcategories: soluble and insoluble fiber. The first dissolves in water, while the second does not. Soluble fibers form a gel-like material when dissolved in water and can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Soluble fibers also endure metabolic processing via fermentation, yielding end-products with wide, significant health effects. It can be generously found in oats, beans, peas, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium. Insoluble fiber promotes the movement of material through the digestive system and increases stool bulk, alleviating constipation or irregular stools. Good sources of insoluble fiber are found in nuts, whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, corn bran, flax seed lignans and many vegetables, such as green beans, celery, potato skins and tomato peel.

A high-fiber diet has many benefits. It prevents constipation, and lowers the risk of digestive conditions such as hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and the development of small pouches in the colon (diverticular diseases). Dietary fiber may also help lower blood cholesterol levels, can improve blood sugar levels, and assist in weight loss programs. A starch enriched diet may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, gallstones and kidney stones.

The amounts of each type of fiber will vary according to the different plant foods we eat and to receive the maximum health benefit, one should consume a wide variety of high-fiber foods. Despite the fact that various processed foods may lose some of their fiber potency, they may still help you to get to the required daily amount to maintain good health. The daily amount of dietary bulk needed for an adult depends on several aspects, especially gender. Women need approximately 21-25 grams a day, while men may require 30-38 grams daily. These figures only act as a guideline. Each person’s internal system and metabolism is different, and everyone will have to find out for themselves how much dietary fiber they need to keep their digestive system functioning efficiently.

About the Author
Living in the US, Irida Sangemino is an international, multi-lingual, published writer/copywriter/journalist/editor with wide-ranging interests