What is fiber? Fiber is a very important form of carbohydrate. It includes all the foods that our digestive enzymes cannot breakdown. Rather than being digested, most fiber goes through the digestive tract and is eliminated in the stool. Fiber is either water soluble or water insoluble. Insoluble fibers are stimulating to the colon, decrease transit time and increase the weight and softness of the stool. The soluble fibers soften and lubricate the stool in a non-irritating way and also absorb substances from the body that would otherwise cause toxic overload.
For centuries, the dietary fiber intake of most people has been high simply because the whole foods we ate were naturally high in fiber. The transit time of food through the intestinal tract was anywhere from 4-6 hours in countries where people eat only unrefined foods, to under 72 hours in most other countries. With the advent of refined and processed foods, like white flour, white rice and refined sugar, which contain little or no fiber, the transit time can be as long as a week or more!
In Diet and Nutrition by Rudolph Ballentine M.D., the author is quoted as saying, “It is estimated the dietary fiber intake of the average person in the industrialized West is only 1/5th what it was a hundred years ago. This is primarily because of the drop in consumption of [whole] grains from 350 lbs per year per person to less than 150, and the fact that an increasing proportion of these grains have been refined.”
Dr Ballentine wrote this in 1978! It’s a much worse picture now!
Intestinal diseases such as diverticulitis are practically unknown among people who have a high fiber diet with no processed foods. These types of diseases are often results of a poor diet that is high in refined, processed foods. Colon cancer and high cholesterol are two other Western diseases that are closely associated with a lack of whole food fiber in the diet.
There are many health benefits to having plenty of fiber in your diet. Fiber retains water which makes stool softer and bulkier, thereby preventing constipation and hemorrhoids. It is believed that fiber, by increasing the transit time of the food we eat and by cleaning the colon as it passes through, reduces the risk of colon cancer. Fiber cleanses the body of toxins by absorbing them and carrying them out of the body. It also bonds to some of the substances that raise cholesterol, carrying them out of the body and thereby reducing cholesterol and benefiting the heart. The foods that are high in fiber are usually cholesterol free, like fruits and vegetables. Refining of foods removes much of the fiber.
It is recommended that an average person eat a minimum of 25-30 grams a day but that is a conservative RDI amount. An optimum amount is approximately 30-50 grams a day. During pregnancy this number is even higher-up to 100 grams a day.
The best way to get fiber is through your diet by eating high fiber whole foods. These include: whole grain cereals and flours, brown and other complete rice, bran, raw wheat germ (toasting it destroys the B vitamins), fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, ground flax seed, popcorn, legumes and dried fruits. Eat whole fruits instead of fruit juices, eat brown rice instead of white rice, eat whole grain breads instead of white flour, natural sugar sources instead of white refined sugar. Fresh and frozen foods are highest in fiber vs. processed foods, canned foods and overcooked foods which are significantly lower in fiber. An example of this is an orange; 1 fresh whole orange can have about 3 gm of fiber whereas a cup of orange juice has 1 gm or less if the pulp has been removed. If you are eating organic produce, leave the skins on such things as apples and potatoes. Other examples of high fiber foods: 2 dried figs=5 gm., 1 cup winter squash=6-7 gm., 1/2 c cooked black beans= 7-8 gm..
A high fiber diet can help prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, colon cancer, hemorrhoids, constipation, gallstones, stomach ailments and blood clots. It can help stabilize blood sugar, balance hormones, normalize weight and decrease obesity.
Although not a true fiber, pectin is a “mucilaginous” substance that is excellent for the digestive tract and is included in the fiber lists as a part of total dietary fiber. It is found in most fruits and vegetables but is especially plentiful in apples. Mucilaginous substances assist in picking up, absorbing and carrying toxins out of the body. (remember the adage, “an apple a day”….?). Pectin dissolves in water and then jells when cooled and is the ingredient in most jellies and jams. Mucilaginous foods (soluble fiber), like psyllium hulls and flaxseed, soften and lubricate the stool in a non-irritating way and can be very helpful for constipation. Psyllium hulls are soothing for both constipation and diarrhea because they absorb water of loose stools and add moisture to hard, dry stool. Soluble fibers are found in fruits, oats, barley, legumes, psyllium, seeds, flax seed, and sea vegetables. They are the ones that lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and absorb and eliminate toxins from the body
When increasing your fiber intake, do so slowly so your body can become accustomed to the change. Add one high fiber food daily each week until you reach your goal. Increasing your fiber intake too quickly can cause uncomfortable bloating and gas, but if done slowly and with additional water intake, these symptoms will be less noticeable. As you increase your fiber, it is important to also increase your water intake.
REMEMBER: you should be drinking half your body weight in ounces a day of fresh quality water.
Increased fiber may decrease the need for certain medications such as insulin, so discuss this with your health care practitioner.
This article is taken in part from the following sources:
Prescription For Nutritional Healing, by Balch, fourth edition
Diet and Nutrition by Rudolph Ballentine M.D.
Healing Nutrition, by Lynn Keegan, Ph.D., RN
Renee Wiest M.H., CNHP
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It is not the intent of this website to give medical advice, diagnose or prescribe. All information given here is for nutritional and educational purposes, to help you make healthy lifestyle choices. All information about food supplements, vitamins and herbs are offered as a guide to general good health.
