Getting Enough Fibre

What Fibre Does

Dietary fibre does not represent any one substance, but to all edible; mostly indigestible parts of plant foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables and pulses. These substances are known as non-starch polysaccharides, or NSPs, and labeled on some packaging.

Fibre is broken down in the gut but has negligible nutritive value – does not provide useful amounts of calories, protein, fat, vitamins or minerals – but still essential for a healthy diet. It keeps the digestive tract functioning properly, and has been shown to play a part in preventing some serious diseases. It can also help control weight as fibre provides bulk and a feeling of fullness without excess calories.

However, eating too little may cause constipation – which in turn leads to piles, and other intestinal disorders. A low fibre diet also tends to be high in refined carbohydrates and fats, promoting weight gain and, depending on the type of fat, heart disease.

Fibre is measured in grammes (g) (1oz = 30 g). Nutritionists recommend an average daily intake of 18 g, obtained from bread, cereals, fruit, vegetables and pulses. This is equivalent to about 12 slices of wholemeal bread or, more realistically, a bowl of muesli (3 g), two slices of wholemeal bread (3 g), two apples (5 g), two helpings of vegetables (4 g) and a medium jacket potato with skin (3 g). Most people currently eat only about two-thirds the fibre they need.



Soluble and Insoluble Fibre

1. Soluble Fibre
   
   
   • this type is found in oat bran, leafy vegetables and fruits.
   • can help to lower blood cholesterol.
   • broken down partially by bacteria, forming by-products; some of which are though to enter the bloodstream. These include certain fatty acids believed to play a role in lowering blood cholesterol.
     
     
     
2. Insoluble Fibre
   
   • found in pulses and wholegrains, such as wholewheat and brown rice.
   • promotes healthy digestion by preventing constipation and other bowel problems
   • in the digestive tract, it absorbs large quantities of water – up to 15 times its own weight. The water adds bulk to waste matter and helps to move it through the system.
   • may play a role in preventing colon cancer (helping to expel waste matter swiftly)

~Image from www.bakeinfo.co.nz~

Adjusting Your Dietary Fibre

You would probably experience wind problem when you increase fibre in your diet. Rest assured, it is only a sign that your system is adapting to your new, healthier way of eating. Flatulence – and sometimes bloating and diarrhea – is very common problem for people who suddenly start eating more fruit, vegetables, pulses and other gas-inducing high-fibre foods.

The amount of gas produced depends on the predominant species of bacteria in the gut. When you start to include more fibre in your diet, the populations of bacteria change and there appears to be a period of extra gas production. Once things settle down again, the problem should resolve itself, as less-gas-producing bacteria will thrive in the more acid environment created by fermentation of fibre in the colon. The time the adjustment takes varies from person to person, depending on the existing bacterial population.

In the meantime, experiment with a variety of high-fibre foods – you may find that some cause less trouble than others. Try adding any potentially gas-inducing foods to your diet a little more gradually, giving your system time to adjust to them step by step.

~Excuse me~

Proper Mix of Fibre

To get a good combination of soluble and insoluble fibre in your diet, as well as wide range of nutrients, eat a variety of fruit, vegetables, pulses and grains. Remember, the body does not like sudden changes, even if they are for the good – increase your intake gradually to guard against digestive upsets.

• Eat plenty of wholegrain, unrefined foods, such as wholemeal bread and pasta, and brown rice.
• Start your day with a wholegrain or bran cereal, porridge, or wholemeal bread or toast. Wholemeal bread has three times the fibre of white.
• Make your own breadcrumbs and croutons from wholemeal bread.
• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and, where possible, scrub and eat the skins instead of peeling them.
• Eat whole fruit instead of drinking juice. A whole orange contains about six times as much fibre as a glass of juice.
• Try eating more of the stems of vegetables such as broccoli and asparagus. Slice them finely is you find hem tough in large pieces.
• Add cooked beans, peas and lentils to soups, stews and salads.
• Add grated or sliced vegetables to casseroles, sauces and salads.
• Eat wholemeal bread or fruit for snacks.

Fibre Supplements

It is not advisable to taking supplements though fibre pills are sold widely as laxatives and slimming aids, because not enough is known about the fibre components of food and how they work to be able to say with certainty that you will get the same benefits from a concentrated supplement.

In addition to causing wind and other intestinal upsets, excessive amounts of fibre can reduce absorption of minerals, such as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Eaten in food form, fibre is not likely to be consumed in amounts that could cause mineral absorptions problems – but same cannot be said for supplements. The best way is the natural way (eating variety of natural foods) – not from pills.

Eating for Energy (Part 2)

Breakfast Cereals

All breakfast cereals are a good source of energy-giving carbohydrates, and many have also been fortified with extra vitamins and minerals, particularly iron. The main factors to consider when making your choice are the cereal’s sugar, salt and fibre content. If possible, choose those with little or no added sugar and avoid very sweet, sugar-coated varieties. It would be better to not sprinkle sugar on your cereal; add chopped fresh fruit or few raisins as alternatives.

Salt or sodium content is displayed on the label of most cereals, and it is worth comparing varieties – some processed brands contain a surprisingly large amount.

The fibre content also varies. Muesli and wholegrain of bran cereals are very good sources of fibre, but some more refined cereals contain almost none. Oat bran is used in some cereals and can help to reduce cholesterol. Again, reading labels will soon reveal the pros and cons of different brands.

Another way of controlling what’s in your cereal is to buy plain oat or wheat flakes and add you own extras – it can be cheaper too.


How Safe Are Sweeteners?

Many foods in the supermarket now contain artificial sweeteners, such as confectionary products, sauces, canned beans and even chewing gum.

Two types of artificial sweeteners:

1. ‘Intense’ Sweeteners, e.g. aspartame, acesulfame-K and saccharin.
   
   • Used in very tiny quantities in many low-calorie food products.
     
     
2. ‘Bulk’ Sweeteners, e.g. sorbitol and mannitol.
   
   • Used in ‘tooth friendly’ sweets and diabetic food.

An official body – Committee on Toxicity (COT) has set and Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for sweeteners; an amount believed to be safe on the basis of current knowledge. However, ADIs are based on animal research and are difficult to use in practice, the best advice for consumers is to check the ingredients list on the label – though this will not tell you how much is used – and to vary your sweeteners to reduce the risk of exceeding the ADI for any one type.

There is a theory that some people gain more weight because low-sugar products do not satisfy the body’s need for calories, and so appetite increases, but this has not been proven. It is important to remember that foods containing artificial sweeteners may still be high in fat, and fat contains more than twice as many calories, weight for weight, as sugar does.

Two Types of Sugars

Intrinsic Sugars
These so-called intrinsic sugars, which are contained within the cell walls of plants, are a natural, healthy part of the diet. They occur primarily in fruit, grains and sweet-tasting vegetables, such as carrots and beetroot. As they come packaged with fibre, there is a limit to how much of them you can eat. They also come together with valuable amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Extrinsic Sugars
These sugars, which are not contained within the cell walls of plants, include refined sugar products, such as table sugar, syrup and glucose, as well as honey molasses, malt and the sugar in milk. The sugar in fruit juice is extrinsic too since the fruit cells are ruptured in juicing. Jams and other products sweetened with concentrated fruit juice may not have had any sugar added to them but they can still be very high in extrinsic sugar from the juice – nutritionally, it amounts to the same thing. You can get far more calories, and far faster, from honey, table sugar, syrup, jam, concentrated juice or sweetened products that you can from whole apples, bread or carrots.

Extrinsic sugars are also more likely to attack your teeth, and most of us would do well to cut down. One exception is milk sugar (lactose), which does not damage teeth. Nutritionists refer to NMEs (non-milk extrinsic sugars) in order to distinguish only the types likely to be harmful to teeth, where there is good reason to cut down – not the case with lactose.

There is no need, however, to become obsessed with avoiding all NMEs. If the added sugar in products such as baked beans makes a basically healthy food more palatable to you, do not worry – the effect is negligible.

Eating for Energy (Part 1)

Carbohydrate Power

There are three main types of carbohydrates – sugars, starches, and fibre. Starches and sugars are both high in energy value, while fibre keeps the gut healthy and helps to regulate digestion.

The most basic carbohydrates are sugars, which include glucose and fructose (sugars found in fruit, vegetables and honey), lactose (in milk), maltose (in sprouting grains) and also sucrose (table sugar). Eating in the form of whole foods, such as fruit and milk provides valuable vitamins, minerals and fibre as well as energy. Purer and more concentrated forms such as table sugar and honey, are less nutritious and easier to over-indulge in.

Starches and fibre – ‘complex’ carbohydrates - are found in many plant foods, such as rice, wheat, oats, and potatoes. Starches, like sugars, are broken down and absorbed in the intestine. On the other hand, although fibre acted on by bacteria, it has little nutritional value since few by-products enter the bloodstream. Nevertheless, it still plays a vital physiological role in keeping the digestive tract healthy.

Sugar or Starch?

It used to be thought that the small size of sugar molecules allowed them to be digested very quickly, while larger starch molecules took longer. Now, this situation seems more complex as the rate of digestion depends on many other factors as well, such as which foods are eaten at the time, how much fibre they contain, and which other nutrients are present.

After digestion, starches and sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream as simple sugars, raising your blood glucose level. The glucose is transported around the body and used as a fuel to power activity in the muscles, organs and cells. Excess glucose not needed immediately is stored in the muscles or liver as glycogen, or is converted into body fat.


Fast Fact:

Starchy foods are NOT fattening. Starchy foods acquired this reputation only because of the rich, fatty sauces that often accompany them. For instance, a typical helping of 7 oz (200 g) plain boiled potatoes provides around 150 calories, yet the same potatoes cut up and fried as chips will provide three times that amount. Starchy foods are not only relatively low in calories, but they are usually high in fibre, which helps to make you full and so discourages you from eating too much. To keep starchy foods healthy, serve them with low-fat dressings and garnishes. For example, have a baked potato with yoghurt, baked beans or cottage cheese instead of mounds of cheese, or try seasoning rice with herbs instead of butter.

Is Honey Healthier?

Unfortunately, no. Honey is a mixture of glucose and fructose. Like ordinary sugar, it is absorbed fairly fast into the bloodstream and has a similar effect on your body. in spite of its healthy image, honey contains only traces of vitamins and minerals, so apart from providing calories it makes a negligible contribution to diet.

Weight for weight, honey contains fewer calories (228 per 3 ½ oz (100 g)) than sugar (394 per 3 ½ oz (100 g)) since one quarter of its weight is water. Furthermore, it tastes sweeter than sugar, so you may need to use less if substituting for sugar in recipes. It is worth knowing that one tablespoon of honey weighs more than one tablespoon of sugar since it is denser – so substituting by volume (rather than weight) for sugar will in fact give you more calories.

One alternative you may want to try is fructose, or fruit sugar, sold in chemists and supermarkets. It has the same calorie count as sugar but is sweeter so you use less.

Too much honey = Big belly

(Trust me, you won't be as adorable)

Healthy Diet Planning

Importance of Breakfast

Provided you make up the nutrients at other times of the day, missing breakfast should not harm your health; but could possibly affect your day’s work. According to research done in the United States, by late morning breakfast-eaters are performing both physical and mental tasks more efficiently, and showing faster reaction times than those who skip the meal.

The body uses food as its fuel supply for energy, but the supply ceases during the night. If it is not replenished until lunch, you are essentially running on an empty tank all morning.

A light breakfast of low-fat yogurt and fresh fruit, or breakfast cereal and fruit juice, will be much better than no food at all. If you are always in too much of a hurry in the mornings, try getting a pack of sandwich and some fruit when you are off to/at work.


Full Meal or Snacks?

Either nibbling snacks throughout the day or having full meals, choose whichever way of eating that suits you best, provided you eat the right foods.

Eating small, frequent snacks provides a constant supply of energy and nutrients; especially suitable for very active people and those with tight schedules. People with medical conditions, such as diabetes, stomach ulcers or those troubled by indigestion may opt for this approach of eating. It is also better for people who suffer from uncomfortable bloating after large servings of high-fiber foods. Small, regular snacks maintain steady blood-sugar levels, preventing energy dips and hunger pangs.

However, there is a danger of simply eating more food this way. In this context, full meals make it easier to plan and keep track of your diet.


Eating Well on a Budget

Healthy eating is not necessarily expensive. In fact, some of the most nutritious foods are among the cheapest, so it is a matter of choosing wisely, planning your meals in advance and basing your meals on a good variety of inexpensive foods. Here are some guidelines:

• make bread, pasta, rice, potatoes or noodles the central part of your meal.
  
  
• substitute beans and lentils for some, or all, of the meat in casseroles, stews, soups and curries – you will reduce the fat content as well as the cost.
  
  
• but fruit and vegetables in season and look for cheaper local produce.
  
  
• instead of buying expensive prepared meals, cook larger quantities of food and freeze in portions.
  
  
• make filling soups from vegetables and leftovers. Add pulses or potatoes to make them more substantial, and herbs and spices for flavour.
  
  
• for a quick, nutritious meal, try a baked potato and a topping such as baked beans, cottage cheese, tuna or sweetcorn.
  
  
• instead of buying sauces, liquidise leftover vegetables, tomato puree and herbs.
  
  
• if you like desserts, use low-fat milk to make healthy, economical dishes such as rice pudding, custard and semolina.