(NaturalNews) According to a health review put together at the Rain Forest Research Institute in India, and recently published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health
, increased dietary fiber consumption can reduce the risk of developing a number of health complications. Dr. Vikas Rana, who has looked at multiple studies conducted over the last two decades across the globe, explained that dietary fiber can reduce cholesterol levels and decrease blood glucose, maintain gastrointestinal health, increase calcium bio-availability and promote immune function.
What is fiber and why do we need it?
Dietary fiber (also called roughage) consists of the indigestible part of foods, and can be grouped into two categories: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is readily fermented in the colon into gases and active byproducts, whilst insoluble fiber is not fermented, but absorbs water as it moves through the digestive system to form the bulk of the stool. Chemically, dietary fibers consist of non-starch polysaccharides (of which the most well known is cellulose), waxes, chitins and other plant components. Consequently, the term "fiber" is somewhat of a misnomer, since not all indigestible plant substances are fibrous.
To avoid gastrointestinal discomfort, such as gas and loose stool, the Indian review team advises that people gradually increase their fiber consumption throughout the day by including more fiber rich foods, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits (consumed with the skin on), greens, nuts and seeds.
As worrying health
conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity are wreaking havoc in western populations, scientists warn that early onset of illness may be a sign of fiber-deficient diets, which could easily be corrected naturally simply by consuming a wider variety of plant-based foods
. The "western-type" diet is rich in red meat, processed sugars, refined flour and countless unnatural additives, often under the pretext that people don't have enough time to spend on preparing complicated meals that are healthy. Nonetheless, porridge, smoothies, salads, mashed legumes, whole breads and crackers are examples of simple dishes that can significantly improve fiber
intake. Even having just one or two more unpeeled fruits each day is beneficial to gastrointestinal health.
A warning for future generations
"Consuming adequate quantities of DF [dietary fiber] can lead to improvements in gastrointestinal health, and reduction in susceptibility to diseases such as diverticular disease, heart disease, colon cancer, and diabetes. Increased consumption has also been associated with increased satiety and weight loss," concluded the science team. For both current and future generations, now just may be the time to educate ourselves on the impact of dietary fiber on long term health.
The scientists note that since fresh fruits, vegetables and legumes are widely available all year round in western countries, getting people to eat more fiber is simply a matter of education. This way, individuals may avoid making unhealthy, low-fiber dietary choices throughout their lives.
Sources for this article include:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111103854.htmhttp://www.inderscience.comhttp://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fiber/About the author:
Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general. In 2010, Michelle created RawFoodHealthWatch.com
, to share with people her approach to the raw food diet and detoxification.
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