The fiber content of vegetables. What is fiber

25.07.2020 Fish dishes

Every day we all eat something, and most people are interested in the health benefits of the food we eat. So, everyone knows about the benefits of plant foods, but most often they talk about the high content of all kinds of vitamins and nutrients in them, and rarely mention such an important element as fiber. Meanwhile, it has already been called one of the components of the recipe for longevity and an excellent tool for maintaining good health. It is worthwhile to understand in more detail the benefits of this element for our body and find out which foods contain fiber, so as not to miss the opportunity and include it in your diet.

Few know what fiber actually is, what it looks like and why it is so useful. Accordingly, our knowledge of the need to consume it leaves much to be desired. Scientifically speaking, fiber is a complex carbohydrate made up of non-starch polysaccharides, resistant starch, and cellulose. It is unlikely that anything will become clear from this definition, so we will try to explain it differently. Fiber is a rough and practically indigestible part of a plant. Fiber can be thought of as a plexus of plant fibers. Now it becomes clear which foods contain fiber, these are all kinds of leaves, for example, lettuce or cabbage, beans, fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains.

Naturally, the question may arise, if our body is not able to digest fiber, then what is the use of it? Fiber is considered a nutrient, along with vitamins and minerals, it does not provide our body with energy, but, nevertheless, plays an important role in the life process and is an essential element of our nutrition. Therefore, it is important to know not only which foods contain fiber, but also how it affects the body. To understand the benefits of fiber for our body, you need to understand the mechanism of its action. Fiber is a hollow fiber that, when it gets into a liquid medium, significantly increases in volume. It is this feature that makes fiber especially important for our digestive system.

There are two types of fiber - soluble and insoluble. Soluble include resins, pectins and insulin. Soluble fiber stabilizes blood sugar levels, slows down food digestion and glucose absorption, maintains acidity, and helps prevent cardiovascular disease. Insoluble fiber is lingin and cellulose. It is called insoluble because it does not undergo a breakdown process in water, which means it improves intestinal permeability and promotes faster saturation. Such fiber helps to cleanse the body, protects against diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and prevents the development of obesity - which is not a reason to find out which foods contain fiber!

Since fiber is not broken down or digested, it can be used to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, to stimulate its work and more efficient absorption of nutrients contained in foods. In addition, fiber lowers blood cholesterol levels, which leads to a lower risk of heart disease. It is not for nothing that many diets include foods rich in fiber, they slow down the absorption of fats, promote quick satiety and a long-lasting feeling of satiety, thereby preserving the slimness of your figure. In addition, there are practically no calories in fiber that many women hate, so if you want to lose weight, you just need to know which foods contain fiber.

So, let's take a closer look at which foods contain fiber.

1. Vegetables. As a rule, these are the ones we think about first when it comes to fiber. Zucchini, pumpkin, beets, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, broccoli, green peas, lettuce, and parsley and dill are especially rich in fiber. All these are quite affordable and tasty products that are the basis of many dishes, which means that it will not be difficult to include them in your daily diet.

2. Fruit. The richest source of fiber such as fiber is fruits. The fact is that fruits contain a large amount of pectin - a source of soluble fiber; in addition, fruits contain cellulose - insoluble fiber that improves digestion. Record holders for fiber content include apples, pears, prunes, plums, oranges, grapefruits, lemons, bananas and apricots. Do not forget about dried fruits, from which most of the moisture is removed and the maximum amount of fiber is left. So, do not bypass dried apricots, apricots and raisins.

3. Berry. In search of an answer to the question of which foods contain fiber, you should not ignore the berry. Almost any berry can be an excellent source of dietary fiber. Especially worth noting are raspberries and strawberries, which contain the highest amount of fiber.

4. Nuts. It is worth including them in your daily diet. Everyone knows the beneficial properties of nuts and their value for our body. Despite their calorie content, a small portion of nuts is able to provide our body with fiber every day. The largest amount of dietary fiber is found in almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, and peanuts.

5. Whole grains. Many have already heard of whole grain breads and other whole grain flour products, as well as bran and sprouted cereal grains. All of these whole grains contain soluble fiber and can lower blood cholesterol levels. So, you should include whole grain bread, bran in your diet, add sprouted grains to dishes, as well as oatmeal, buckwheat and corn grits.

6. Legumes. Include in your diet beans, peas and lentils - legumes, which are an excellent source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. So, just one serving of lentils can contain up to 16 grams of fiber!

Now, knowing which foods contain fiber, you need to find out the rates of its consumption. Nutritionists recommend consuming at least 25 grams of fiber daily. It is unlikely that someone will be able to immediately coolly change their diet and start eating 500 grams daily. beans, 1 kg of oatmeal or 100 gr. loaves of bread. You should start with your usual snacks and eat a handful of nuts or a couple of fruits instead of chocolates or sweets. And instead of the usual pasta for lunch, use the vegetables you like from the list as a side dish. Start increasing your fiber intake gradually, and after a couple of weeks you will reach your recommended daily allowance. A sharp increase in fiber in the diet can lead to unpleasant consequences, such as bloating.

Do not forget about the mechanism of work of fiber, therefore, along with an increase in its consumption, it is worth increasing the consumption of water. If possible, eat only fresh vegetables and fruits that have avoided heat treatment, as a last resort, vegetables can be stewed or baked in the oven. You can try to replace the usual sweet desserts with no less sweet, but more healthy fruits or berries. To provide the body with fiber, it is enough to eat at least 3 fruits a day, at least 300 grams. vegetables, 4 slices of whole grain bread, 4 servings of oatmeal or rice, and 2 servings of beans, peas or corn.

How to fit at least some of these products into your daily menu? Remember what mothers and grandmothers taught us. So, you should get into the habit of eating oatmeal for breakfast, you can replace it with homemade muesli with the addition of your favorite fresh and dried fruits, as well as milk, natural yogurt, honey or juice. If it is not possible to organize a three-course lunch and include vegetables for the first and second, and prepare compote for the third, then leave at least vegetable soup or bean soup. Knowing which foods contain fiber, you can include them in your diet every day, and we offer several recipes from the foods mentioned above.

Muesli with berries and seasonal fruits

Ingredients:
1 / "Art. oatmeal,
½ tbsp. yoghurt,
2 tbsp mixtures of dried fruits and nuts,
2 tbsp strawberries or raspberries,
1 any seasonal fruit.

Preparation:
Put half the oatmeal in a deep bowl, put half the yogurt on them, then oatmeal and yogurt again. Wash the fruit of your choice and cut into very small cubes. Also cut the strawberries, if you took raspberries, then you can not chop them. Chop dried fruits finely and chop nuts. Put the fruit, berries and the mixture of nuts and dried fruits on top of the yogurt, cover the muesli with a lid and leave in the refrigerator overnight. Stir the muesli in the morning and serve.



Ingredients:
3 /; Art. lentils,
300 gr. eggplant,
2 tomatoes,
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic,
4 tbsp vegetable oil,
parsley,
salt.

Preparation:
Rinse the lentils and pour 1 liter of boiling water, put them on fire and cook over moderate heat, covered with a lid. Pay attention to the color of the lentils, the red one cooks much faster than the green one. Peel the eggplants, cut into slices and fry a little in vegetable oil. Wash the tomatoes and make a cross-shaped incision on them, dip them in boiling water for a few seconds and remove the skin from them. Cut the peeled tomatoes into small cubes. Peel and finely chop the onion, fry it in vegetable oil, then add the tomatoes and simmer everything for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. When the lentils are ready, season with salt, add more boiling water, add the eggplant and continue cooking. After 5 minutes, add the tomatoes and onions to the soup and let the soup simmer for 3 minutes. At this time, chop the garlic and add it to the soup, cook for another 1 minute, then remove from heat. Season the soup with parsley when serving.



Ingredients:
3 zucchini,
150 gr. hard cheese
1 tbsp. milk,
½ tbsp. bread crumbs,
parsley,
4 eggs,
vegetable oil,
ground pepper,
salt.

Preparation:
Wash the courgettes, peel and cut into cubes. Boil the zucchini in a little salted water. Then mash them up and cool. Add the breadcrumbs, a glass of milk, and coarse grated cheese. Beat 4 eggs and chop the parsley and add to the courgettes. Grease a baking dish with vegetable oil, put the squash mass and place in a preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Speaking about which foods contain fiber, do not forget that you should not abuse it, since its excess, like a deficiency, can lead to unpleasant consequences in the form of indigestion. However, vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts and legumes are not only an excellent source of fiber, all of these products are rich in other nutrients, vitamins and trace elements, so their inclusion in the daily menu will have a beneficial effect on health. At the same time, try to maintain a balance of all nutrients and make your menu not only useful, but also tasty and varied!

A low fiber diet restricts fiber and other foods that are difficult to digest. Fiber is made up of plant material that the body cannot completely digest. The remainder is undigested food, mainly the fiber that makes up the stool. A low-fiber diet will help reduce the amount of undigested food, therefore, reduce bowel volume and stool.

Health professionals recommend a low-fiber or low-fiber diet before certain surgeries. The low fiber diet is usually carried out for a short duration. You should always consult with a dietitian to plan a low fiber diet. Due to impaired absorption of nutrients, you may need to include vitamins in your diet.

Low fiber diet

  • The role of exercise
  • DOS Etiquette
  • Questions and answers

Low Fiber Diet Sample Menu

Time What is

Early morning

    1 warm water with honey and lemon

    Decaffeinated tea or coffee

Breakfast

    Scrambled eggs with 1 slice of white bread

    Vegetable or fruit juice

Dinner

    Fried or baked chicken

    Vegetable salad (peeled and toasted)

    Baked fish (remove bones) with asparagus and green beans

Post Lunch

    1 cup melon

    1 cup low fat yogurt

    Fresh fruit juice

Evening snack

    Flour biscuits

    Flour crackers and jellies

    Salted flour biscuits

Dinner

    White rice with fried chicken and vegetables

    Roast beef

    Pasta

Low Fiber Diet Food List

A low-fiber diet limits your intake of fiber and several other important nutrients. Therefore, you should not look at this diet as a long-term solution to your symptoms. Generally, you need to stay away from whole grains, nuts, and seeds as they are full of fiber. However, there are many other foods that you can enjoy as part of your diet.

1. Cereals

  • White rice, gourmet pasta and noodles
  • Boiled cereals
  • Cold flakes such as cornflakes
  • Refined white flour bread and crackers

2. Fruits and vegetables

Usually the skin and seeds of the fruit are fibrous. Hence, you must cleanse your skin and avoid seeds to enjoy a soft, low fiber diet. Below is a list of fruits and vegetables that you can include in your low fiber diet:

  • Asparagus tips
  • green beans
  • mushrooms
  • Spinach
  • Seedless squash
  • pumpkin
  • Skinless potatoes
  • Ripe banana
  • Cantaloupe
  • Avocado
  • Canned pears without skin and seeds

3. Dairy products

You can consume milk and other dairy products, but in moderation. However, if you suffer from lactose intolerance, you should stay away from milk and other dairy products.

4. Meat

The good news about a low fiber diet is that there are no restrictions on meat and poultry intake. You can eat beef, chicken, lamb, and pork if they are soft, tender, and lean.

5. Fats, condiments and sauces

You can eat the following as part of your low fiber diet:

  • Margarine
  • Butter
  • oils
  • Ketchup
  • Mayonnaise
  • Sour cream
  • Soy sauce
  • Flavoring

You can also eat simple cakes, cookies, pudding, custard, pretzels, hard candy, ice cream, and popsicles. When it comes to drinks, you should be looking at decaffeinated coffee and soda. Caffeine can irritate your stomach. You can also drink fresh vegetable juices. Remember to tighten them before consuming, however.

Foods to avoid

There are certain foods that must be completely eliminated from your diet when you follow a low fiber diet. These foods include the following:

  • nuts
  • Seeds
  • Raw fruits and dried fruits
  • Whole grains and whole grains
  • Beans and lentils
  • Fiber-rich vegetables such as broccoli, peas, and Brussels sprouts
  • Pickles
  • Cheese with fruits, nuts and seeds
  • Popcorn
  • Fruit juices with pulp
  • olives
  • Sauerkraut
  • Peanut butter
  • Preserves

Low fiber diet recipe

Baked fish with asparagus and green beans

What you need

  • Salmon fillets
  • 5 tips for asparagus
  • 6 green beans
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 thyme stem
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • Salt and pepper

How to prepare

  1. Marinate fish with salt, pepper and lemon juice for 10 minutes.
  2. Wash vegetables and remove inedible parts and toss into a bowl.
  3. Add olive oil, oil, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix well.
  4. Place the fish in the baking tray, blot some oil and bake at 180 ° C for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the baking sheet and add the vegetables. Bake for another 5 minutes.

Vegetarian alternative

If you don't want to eat meat, you can use mashed potatoes (peeled).

The role of exercise

Regular exercise will keep you active, strengthen your muscles, and strengthen your bones. Try to include at least 20 minutes of exercise in your daily routine. Walking, falling out, jogging, ladder workout, rope jumping, cycling, and yoga are recommended.

Benefits of a Low Fiber Diet

  • Beneficial for people suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
  • Soothes the stomach and prevents bloating, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
  • More nutrients are absorbed as the transit time in the intestines increases.

Side Effects of Low Fiber Diet

  • Can cause nutritional deficiencies, which can lead to a number of health problems.
  • Since fiber helps to mobilize fat, a low fiber diet can lead to weight gain.

A low fiber diet can help calm the intestinal walls and help you feel better. Check fiber content before purchasing vegetables, fruits, and grains. Follow a low fiber diet only if your doctor advises you to do so. If you experience stomach pain even after a low fiber diet, see your doctor immediately. In addition, staying on a low fiber diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Hence, you must take strained fruit and vegetable juices along with a multivitamin supplement.

Questions and answers

  • How much fiber is in a low fiber diet?

About 1 gram of fiber per serving is allowed for people with inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

  • Can I eat chocolate on a low fiber diet?

Yes, you can eat chocolate on a low fiber diet. However, you cannot have chocolate that contains nuts.

  • Should I follow a low fiber diet before colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is a procedure to look at any inflammation, bleeding, ulcer, cancer, and polyps in the lining of the colon. Because foods high in fiber are difficult to digest and can cause inflammation in the lining of the colon, it is recommended that a low-fiber diet be followed prior to colonoscopy.

  • Should I follow a low fiber diet if I have diverticulitis?

Small pockets or sacs formed in the lining of the intestines can sometimes become infected and inflamed. This condition is known as diverticulitis. Your doctor may recommend that you stay on a low-fiber diet for a while to shrink your intestines (a high-fiber diet causes your intestines to swell) and the infection heals. Follow your doctor's opinion before following a low fiber diet.

  • Should I follow a low fiber diet if I have ulcerative colitis?

When the lining of the colon becomes ulcerated, it causes diarrhea and severe pain. A low-fiber diet may be recommended by a doctor to calm the colon wall. Check with your doctor to find out the cause of stomach pain and diarrhea before starting a low fiber diet.

  • Does a low fiber diet cause constipation?

While on a low fiber or low fiber diet, you have less bowel volume and your bowel walls need extra movement and energy to move your bowels. This can lead to constipation. If you have inflammatory bowel disease, the only way to avoid constipation is to drink enough water throughout the day.

  • Can I Drink Alcohol While On A Low Fiber Diet?

Not. Alcohol increases peristaltic bowel movement and causes more inflammation. Drinking alcohol will only irritate the intestinal wall even more.

Welcomes good health!

Fiber is a dietary fiber made up of complex carbohydrates. These are food components that are not digested by digestive enzymes in the human stomach, but are processed by the beneficial intestinal microflora.

Fiber well cleanses the intestines from food debris, waste products and toxins, it is considered an indispensable element in a healthy diet and has a lot of useful properties.

If the body is not periodically cleansed, slagging occurs, which threatens the development of various problems with the gastrointestinal tract, a sharp decrease in immunity, the manifestation of allergies and irritations on the skin. By the way, many skin problems - acne, pimples, greasiness, seborrhea - are the result of uncleaned intestines. In this article, you will find out which foods contain fiber.

Beneficial features

So what are the benefits of eating fiber-rich foods? The main beneficial property is to improve digestion and prevent constipation. This is especially important for women in position and breastfeeding.

During pregnancy, it is very important to establish the correct functioning of the gastrointestinal tract so that the fetus does not experience pressure from the intestines. And during the period of breastfeeding in the female body, a hormonal failure occurs, the level of glucose in the blood rises slightly.

Adequate fiber allows you to keep your blood sugar levels normal and get rid of bad cholesterol.

Fiber is essential for people who want to lose weight. There is an interesting nuance here: food rich in fiber needs to be chewed longer, which means that the brain receives a signal of fullness much earlier, and you simply don't want to eat anymore.

What types are there?

Dietary fiber is classified into 2 types:

  1. Soluble.
  2. Insoluble.

Soluble fiber is fiber that dissolves in liquids. This type of dietary fiber contains the following products: fruits (apples, pears, peaches, citrus fruits), legumes (lentils, peas), cereals (oats, barley, rye). The most famous constituent of this fiber is pectin. What does this substance contain? Pectin is found in apples, red and black currants, citrus fruits, that is, in those fruits and berries, from which it is good to cook various jelly-like dishes (for example, natural apple candy is a healthy food).

Insoluble fiber is essential for proper intestinal motility.

They do not dissolve in liquids and perfectly and quickly cleanse the intestines. This type of fiber contains all types of cabbage, greens, beans, nuts, bran.

What foods contain these food components?

So, you have seen that fiber is very important for our body. Let's take a closer look at which foods contain fiber.

A lot of fiber is found in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains. Foods containing plant fiber:

  • Of course, vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, beets.
  • Fruits: pear, grapes, apple, peach, fig.
  • Dried fruits: raisins, prunes, dried apricots.
  • A very large amount of dietary fiber is found in buckwheat, oatmeal, and bran.

Note that foods that contain fiber must be eaten fresh. During heat treatment, the fibers are modified and lose their valuable properties.

List of foods by the amount of these beneficial fibers:

  • legumes - 13%;
  • white rice and wheat - 9%;
  • oats and barley - 8-10%;
  • almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts - 12-16%;
  • fresh vegetables - 3-7%;
  • berries (fiber is found in large quantities in raspberries and blackberries) - 2-6%;
  • fruits and citrus fruits (the record holders are bananas and peaches) - 6-11%.

Consumption rate

Improving the children's menu

It's good when a child eats absolutely everything, but this is rare. But fiber is also very important for the child's body, since dietary fiber prevents the appearance of dysbiosis and helps to cope with constipation.

When should you start incorporating fiber in your baby's diet? Answer: from 9 months. Children aged 9 months to 3 years old need to eat about 19 grams of fiber every day, and after 8 years old - 26 grams. Remember that the food must be natural, without any additives. Try to adhere to the following recommendations:

  • Add vegetables and fruits little by little to different meals for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
  • From 9 months, start complementary feeding with a variety of cereals that are rich in fiber: corn, oatmeal, buckwheat.
  • It is best to refuse sweets altogether. Make it a rule to place a plate of various fruits in a prominent place in between meals. Believe me, the result will not be long in coming. Instead of cookies, rolls, sandwiches, the child will snack on delicious slices of fruit.

Side effects and contraindications

Fiber is very beneficial for proper bowel function. But everything is good in moderation. It is not recommended to consume a lot of foods containing dietary fiber at once. Eating these foods can lead to troubles such as flatulence, bloating, or intestinal spasm.

Fiber should be introduced into the diet gradually. At the same time, it is very important to establish a drinking regimen so that there is enough fluid in the intestines. If you don't follow this rule, then the abundance of dietary fiber can provoke indigestion or volvulus. The optimal amount of water per day is 2-3 liters.

Right choice

The shops offer us a wide selection of a wide variety of vegetables and fruits all year round.

But it's worth remembering that not all of them are equally useful. Avocado, mango, pineapple, bananas are grown too far from our place of residence. They take a long time to transport, they are harvested immature and treated with chemicals to preserve their presentation.

The best choice is seasonal vegetables and fruits that have ripened in the strip where you live. They are much healthier and more nutritious than overseas curiosities. Try to buy products from trusted suppliers, ask for quality certificates, or even better - grow crops on your own plot. So you will definitely be sure of freshness and quality.

Fiber in food actually plays a very important role in the body.

If it is not enough, problems with the stomach and intestines begin, a person gains weight and cannot get rid of it for a long time, various rashes appear on the skin, allergies appear and depression suffers.

Eat right yourself, teach children to healthy food from an early age. Remember that many diseases will not appear at all if you take care of the simplest rules in advance.

Fiber is an essential component of any healthy diet. Fiber is found only in plant foods (grains, fruits and vegetables) and increases the bulk of our food, allowing the digestive system to move digested food more easily. Consuming enough fiber regularly prevents constipation and certain cancers (bowel cancer and rectal cancer). However, for conditions such as diverticulitis and chronic diarrhea, the patient may be given a low-fiber diet. In addition, some people suffer from fiber intolerance and too much of it can lead to stomach discomfort and diarrhea. Follow a low fiber diet prescribed by your doctor to relieve gastrointestinal upset and feel much better.

Steps

Avoid high fiber foods

    Eat less fiber than the recommended amount. If fiber is bad for your health or is causing you some discomfort, you may want to start consuming less fiber than the average healthy person recommends.

    Minimize the amount of fiber in your meals and snacks. Fiber is found in a number of foods, including grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Reducing the amount of fiber in foods and snacks will reduce your overall fiber intake and possibly help relieve symptoms of an upset gastrointestinal tract.

    • Choose fruits that are low in fiber, or remove the fibrous parts of the fruit. For example, eat applesauce instead of the apple itself, as the peel is high in fiber, or drink 200 ml of juice daily. Low-fiber fruits include canned fruits, cooked fruits, and fruits with no peel or skin.
    • Choose vegetables that are low in fiber, or remove the fibrous parts of the vegetable. For example, peel potatoes or remove seeds from zucchini. Low fiber vegetables include canned vegetables, boiled and very soft vegetables, seedless vegetables, and 100% vegetable juice.
    • Prefer grains that are low in fiber. Avoid foods that are 100% whole grains as they are high in fiber. Examples of grains that are low in fiber are white rice, white bread, semolina or rice groats, and pasta.
  1. Reduce your intake of insoluble fiber. There are two types of fiber - soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber is sometimes called "tough food" because its main job is to speed up digestion.

  2. Minimize your intake of fiber-fortified foods. Many food companies are now adding fiber to various products to increase their consumption. Fiber can be added to foods that typically contain very little fiber. You, in turn, must reduce the consumption of such products to a minimum. Examples of foods that should be discarded are:

    • Orange juice with pulp and added fiber
    • Artificial sweeteners with added fiber
    • Fiber-added yoghurts
    • Soy milk with added fiber
    • Granola or breads with added fiber (before adding extra fiber, these foods have low initial fiber content)
  3. Stop consuming fiber supplements. There are a wide variety of dietary supplements that can increase your overall fiber intake. But if fiber is harmful to your health, you should stop taking these supplements.

    • Stop taking stool softeners and weeds that contain added fiber.
    • Do not take vitamins or fiber capsules.
    • Do not add crushed fiber or psyllium husks to food or drinks.
  4. Make a meal plan. Making a plan will help you plan all meals and snacks for the day and provide a general outline to follow throughout the week.

    • Calculate how much fiber will be in each meal or snack, as well as your total daily intake.
    • A meal plan will allow you to change meals, replace or remove foods so that you don't eat more fiber than you should.
    • Take the time to plan your meals and snacks for the entire week. Include in this plan all the foods and snacks you usually eat every day. If necessary, make similar plans for the coming weeks.

Returning Fiber to the Diet

  1. Consult your doctor. Quite often, people start on a low fiber diet for medical reasons. Before going on a high-fiber diet or returning to high-fiber foods, you should definitely check with your doctor.

    • Your doctor will advise you on a specific time frame for returning fiber foods or on dietary restrictions.
    • Be sure to ask him what types of fiber you can eat, how you should bring fiber back to your area, and what the long-term prospects are.
    • Keep in mind that every time you add or subtract large amounts of fiber, you are more likely to experience changes in bowel function, such as bloating or constipation.

Well, who among us has not heard of fiber? About its usefulness for the body, about the importance for dietary nutrition. Today, many different medicines and dietary supplements have appeared, the basis of which is fiber, or dietary fiber, which, in principle, is the same. Let's see how useful fiber is for the body, where it is contained, and whether this herbal product, so advertised by some chain companies, is suitable for everyone.

General characteristics of fiber

Fiber or plant fiber is a complex form of carbohydrates found in the shells of higher plants. It is also often called cellulose... People use it for food, as well as for the production of various industrial products. From a chemical point of view, fiber is a complex polysaccharide responsible for the formation of cell walls in higher plants.

Fiber-rich foods

Indicated approximate quantity in 100 g of product

+ fruits, berries and dried fruits rich in fiber:
Raspberries 5,1 Black currant 3,0 Gooseberry 2,0 A pineapple 1,2
Strawberry 4,0 Dried apricots 3,2 Quince 1,9 Avacado 1,2
Dates 3,5 Figs (fresh) 3,0 Olives, olives 1,5 Peaches 0,9
Banana 3,4 Red currant 2,5 Orange 1,4 Apricots 0,8
Raisins 3,1 Cranberry 2,0 Lemon 1,3 Grapes 0,6
+ vegetables, roots and greens rich in fiber:
Corn 5,9 Rhubarb (petioles) 1,8 Pumpkin 1,2 Sorrel 1,0
Dill 3,5 Radish 1,5 Carrot 1,2 Cauliflower 0,9
Horseradish 2,8 Sweet green pepper 1,4 White cabbage 1,0 Cucumbers (ground) 0,7
Parsley root 2,4 Sweet red pepper 1,4 Celery 1,0 Green onion 0,9
Parsnip 2,4 Turnip 1,4 Potatoes 1,0 Radish 0,8
+ beans, nuts and seeds rich in fiber:
Peanut 8 Chestnut 6,8 Peas 5,7 Lentils 3,7
Brazilian nut 6,8 Sunflower seeds 6,1 Beans 3,9 Coconut 3,4
+ fiber-rich bread, pasta and cereals:
Oat groats 2,8 Oat flakes "Hercules" 1,3 Pearl barley 1,0 Millet. bread flour 1 sec. 0,2
Corn bread 2,5 Buckwheat porridge unground 1,1 Rice porrige 0,4 Highest macaroni varieties 0,1
Corn grits 1,8 Rye bread 1,1 Wheat porridge 0,7 Wheat flour 1 s. 0,2
Barley grits 1,4 Shelled peas 1,1 Semolina 0,2 Pasta 1 s. 0,2

Daily fiber requirement

On average, a person's daily fiber requirement ranges from 25 to 35 grams per day. Some nutritionists advise that in case of malnutrition, depleted in fiber, consume about 1 tablespoon. wheat or rye bran - the leader in the content of such useful dietary fiber. Also, fiber is sold in the pharmacy, but this is a last resort, it is still better to normalize your diet. It is said that ancient people consumed up to 60 grams of dietary fiber per day!

The need for fiber increases:

  • With age. The body's greatest need for fiber occurs by the age of 14 and lasts up to 50 years. Then the need for plant fiber is reduced by 5-10 units.
  • During pregnancy, in proportion to the increase in the amount of food consumed.
  • With sluggish work of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, fiber normalizes bowel function.
  • With slagging of the body. Plant fibers act as a broom to cleanse the intestinal walls.
  • With vitamin deficiencies and anemias. The body is cleansed, the absorption of vitamins improves.
  • Overweight. Thanks to the normalization of the digestive system, weight loss is observed.

The need for fiber decreases:

  • With excessive gas formation (flatulence).
  • During an exacerbation of gastritis, pancreatitis and other inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Digestibility of plant fiber

Despite the fact that fiber (dietary fiber) is not digested in the human body, nevertheless, it is very beneficial for our health. Fiber is important for the stomach (it creates the volume of food necessary for full-fledged work), and also plays an important role in its subsequent evacuation.

Useful properties of fiber and its effect on the body

In addition to beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal tract (cleaning, stimulation of gastrointestinal motility), fiber activates digestive enzymes in the intestines. It is necessary to maintain normal microflora in the intestine, eliminates dysbiosis.

According to some studies, fiber promotes the reproduction of beneficial microflora, and also prevents the development of harmful microorganisms.

Medical sources show that dietary fiber is very beneficial for diabetic patients by reducing the rate of absorption of carbohydrates, which prevents the body from spiking blood sugar.

Fiber removes toxins and toxins from the body, reduces the concentration of harmful fats. Due to this, the liver is also healed. The metabolic processes in the body begin to proceed more quickly, which contributes to a decrease in body weight, to the great joy of those who want to lose weight.

The interaction of fiber with essential elements

In medicine, essential elements are usually called substances that are indispensable for the functioning of the body. Fiber interacts with bile acids and water, affects fat and glucose metabolism in the body. Excess fiber makes it difficult to absorb iron, as well as certain vitamins and minerals. Dietary fiber neutralizes the effect of certain drugs. In particular, psychotropic substances, antidepressants.

Signs of a lack and excess of fiber:

Signs of a lack of fiber in the body:

  • overflow of the body with slags and toxins (unpleasant body odor);
  • problems with blood vessels;
  • lethargy of the digestive tract;
  • exacerbation of diabetes mellitus;
  • excess weight.

Signs of excess fiber in the body:

  • flatulence, bloating and other bowel disorders (diarrhea, constipation);
  • nausea, vomiting;
  • violation of intestinal microflora and gastrointestinal motility.

Fiber for beauty and health

The optimal amount of fiber in the body eliminates hunger and stimulates the metabolism. That is why fiber is one of the tools in the fight against extra pounds.

Low carbohydrate protein diets cause some gastrointestinal discomfort, but are nonetheless popular for their effectiveness in weight loss. By slightly modernizing such a diet, supplementing it with foods rich in fiber, you can improve the health of your body and even speed up weight loss.