Dietary Fiber For Diabetes, Heart, And General Health!
Is Soluble Fiber Better for Digestion? Dietary Fiber to Improve Health:
Nowadays there is a lot of awareness about eating healthy food. The knowledge about healthy and unhealthy foods is very widespread. We may not be eating that much healthy but we definitely know a lot about what we should really be eating. dietary fiber
Among the different types of healthy foods, high fiber is a very important class. We probably have heard that one of the important ingredients missing in our daily diet is fiber. The typical western diet lacks fiber. Our typical diet is high in protein, saturated fats, and simple carbs. But it is usually very low in fiber and most of us do not get enough fiber from our food.
But This Has Been Rapidly Changing.
We have started to consume more food containing fiber. Examples are certain vegetables, beans, lentils, and certain ready-made cereals that contain high fiber. Even lots of snack foods are being offered in high fiber varieties today. Our diet is rapidly changing to adapt to the need for more fiber.
What is Dietary Fiber?
Fiber is a substance in plants. Dietary fiber is the kind you eat. It’s a type of carbohydrate. You may also see it listed on a food label as soluble fiber or insoluble fiber. Both types have important health benefits. Whether it’s for weight loss, diabetes, or heart health, dietary fiber is a great way to improve your health. But not all fiber will help you achieve your goals in these areas. dietary fiber
Find out what types of fiber you need to control your blood sugar levels, prevent cancer, and improve your cholesterol level.
There are two types of fiber – soluble and insoluble but most fiber-rich foods contain some of both.
Dietary Fiber Types:
Dietary fiber is broadly classified into soluble and insoluble fiber.
1. Soluble Fiber:
Soluble fiber is fermented in the colon and plays a role in slowing the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. It also encourages the growth of the ‘friendly bacteria that help break down bile, and are involved in the creation of B vitamins like folic acid, niacin, and pyridoxine.
2. Insoluble Fiber:
- Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, acts a bit like an intestinal broom.
- It provides bulk to the stools and makes sure they pass through easily and quickly.
- This is the type of fiber that keeps you ‘regular’, not insoluble fiber.
- Insoluble fiber does provide a feeling of fullness, however.
- This makes it great for weight loss and controlling hunger.
It also keeps blood sugar levels more stable,
although research into the rate at which carbohydrates enter the bloodstream has found there to be some significant differences within the foods that make up the fiber group. Dietary fiber can thus be rated by its Glycemic Index, which effectively ranks fiber foods with each other on a relative scale.
The Idea is To Try and Include More Low Glycemic Index Foods:
Foods with a high glycemic index cause blood sugar levels to spike, providing too much energy to the blood in the form of carbohydrates, which in turn sets off the body’s sugar controlling hormone – insulin. You thus get a ‘high’ followed by a sudden drop.
This, in turn, leads the body to want more carbohydrates to balance itself again, leading to cravings and overeating, as well as tiredness and moodiness.
I. Low Glycemic Index Foods Include:
lentils, chickpeas, baked beans, fruit loaf, salmon sushi, barley, milk, low-fat custard, soy milk, yogurt (not diet yogurt), apples, strawberries, grapes, spaghetti, peas, carrots, fructose, strawberry jam, and chocolate milk.
II. Moderate Glycemic Index Foods Include:
Pea soup, rye bread, porridge, muesli, ice cream, bananas, pineapple, kiwi fruit, new potatoes, beetroot, white sugar, honey, and mars bars.
III. High Glycemic Index Foods Include Broad Beans:
bagels, white bread, brown rice, watermelon, udon noodles, desire, Pontiac and Sebago potatoes, and glucose. We need both soluble and insoluble fiber,
However:
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that in a group of 6000 French men and women, those with the highest levels of soluble and insoluble fiber in their diet had a lower risk of being overweight. Lower risk of having blood pressure problems, cholesterol problems, and they had better levels of tricycle glycerols and homocysteine. The last two are measure3 of heart health.
Some of the Best Fiber Sources are:
- Nuts and seeds.
- Fruit and vegetables.
- whole-grain bread and cereals.
- apples.
- oranges.
- bananas.
- berries.
- prunes.
- pears.
- green peas.
- legumes (dried beans, split peas, lentils, etc.).
- artichokes.
- almonds
A high-fiber food has 5 grams or more of fiber per serving; a good source of fiber is one that provides 2.5 to 4.9 grams per serving.
Here’s How Some Fiber-Friendly Foods Stack Up:
- ½ cup (118 milliliters) of cooked beans (kidney, white, black, pinto, lima) (6.2-9.6 grams of fiber).
- 1 medium baked sweet potato with peel (3.8 grams).
- 1 whole-wheat English muffin (4.4 grams).
- ½ cup (118 milliliters) of cooked green peas (4.4 grams).
- 1 medium pear skin (5.5 grams).
- ½ cup (118 milliliters) of raspberries (4 grams).
- 1 medium baked potato with skin (3 grams).
- 1/3 cup (79 milliliters) of bran cereal (9.1 grams).
- 1 ounce (28 grams) of almonds (3.5 grams).
- 1 small apple with skin (3.6 grams).
- ¼ cup (59 milliliters) of dried figs (3.7 grams).
- ½ cup (118 milliliters) of edamame (3.8 grams).
- 1 medium orange (3.1 grams).
- 1 medium banana (3.1 grams).
- ½ cup (118 milliliters) canned sauerkraut (3.4 grams).
The Importance of Dietary Fiber:
Most people understand the importance of dietary fiber in their diet. Much has been said about its importance in heart health, diabetes, cancer prevention, and even weight control.
What is less well understood is how different types of fiber affect the body. Some provide fecal bulk, some are absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream than others, and thus raise blood sugar levels more quickly, and yet others provide benefits to the heart.
Thus,
despite the apparent simplicity, fiber is a complex topic. And whilst all types of fiber are important, if you are looking at preventing or managing specific conditions, it is not enough to just look at the total dietary fiber as written on food packaging.
Dietary Fiber Benefits:
1. Fiber From Cereals:
Was linked to lower body fat, lower blood pressure, and lower levels of homocysteine. Those with a higher intake of vegetables, also a source of fiber, had lower blood pressure and lower homocysteine levels.
2. Fiber From Fresh Fruit:
- Was associated with a lower waist to hip ratio (good news for dieters!) and lower blood pressure.
- And fiber from dried fruit, nuts, and seeds (like sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds) was also linked to a lower waist to hip ratio, lower body fat, and a better fasting glucose concentration.
3. Fasting Glucose Relates to:
- Having a steady level of glucose between meals. If it dips too low, we crave things, often sweets.
- Fiber has another interesting benefit. In people with type 2 diabetes, it has been found to lower the levels of ‘bad cholesterol and increase the levels of ‘good cholesterol.
- It has already been established that fiber supplements will lower the levels of bad cholesterol in people, whether they have diabetes or not.
- But this new study found that fiber supplements also decreased the reabsorption of cholesterol from meals.
To get this benefit, it is important to time taking the fiber supplement in synch with meals. The study participants took a fiber supplement drink before mealtimes, and this ensured that the fiber was in the intestines when the meal was being eaten. The people in the study participated for 90 days and their average age was 59 years old. Read more about fiber benefits!
10 Dietary Guidelines For Diabetics:
There are general dietary guidelines that diabetes sufferers can follow to help keep their blood sugar levels under control:
- 1. Avoid being overweight: Make sure you eat a balanced, healthy diet based on suitable foods. If you do need to lose weight, see your doctor formulate a diet that fits your needs.
- 2. Eat regular meals: exactly how many and how often can usually be decided by what’s convenient for you.
- 3. Eat more starchy: high in fiber foods such as wholemeal bread, beans, peas, and lentils. All of these foods cause only a gradual rise in blood sugar levels, as the fiber slows down the release of glucose.
- 4. Cut down on sugary sweetened soft drinks, cakes, confectionery, and chocolate. The sugar is absorbed quickly and therefore causes blood glucose levels to rise more rapidly.
- 5. Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables for soluble fiber and vitamins. Fruit makes an ideal snack or pudding but beware of eating very sweet fruits like grapes and mangoes in large amounts because of their effect on your blood sugar level. If you do eat tinned fruit, choose the ones canned in natural juice, instead of syrup.
Also,
- 6. Ensure that you have portions of meat: eggs or cheese as part of at least two of your meals each day. Keep the portions small if you are worried about gaining extra weight, and remember that fish and pulses are alternative sources of protein.
- 7. Cut down on fats: which aggravates the diabetics increased the risk of coronary heart disease.
- 8. Limit salt and salty foods: because of the increased susceptibility to high blood pressure. Be aware of hidden salt in many tinned, smoked, and processed foods.
- 9. Keep alcohol consumption at moderate levels, remembering that low sugar diet beers and lagers tend to have higher alcohol content.
- 10. Although artificial sweeteners may be useful, special diabetic products are usually unnecessary.
Some Easy Ways to Add Fiber:
- Add milled flaxseeds to your salad, soup, cereal, or yogurt.
- Add fresh or frozen fruit to cereal, dessert, shakes, or yogurt.
- Keep cut-up veggies in small baggies available on hand for a quick snack.
- Choose pre-packaged foods with a minimum of 8 grams of fiber in each serving
- Choose products with 100% whole wheat flour. In most foods, you can’t taste the difference.
- Have 2 or more servings of vegetables with your meals whenever possible.
- Go local: Local farmers don’t need to pick their produce before it’s fully ripe. You’ll get the full benefits of all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals with local produce.
Things to Consider:
- Try not to add too much fiber to your diet at once. You may get symptoms such as bloating, cramping, or gas. You can prevent these by increasing your fiber slowly.
- Wait several days to a week before making another. If one change doesn’t seem to work for you, try a different one.
- Be sure to drink more fluids as you increase the amount of fiber you eat. Fluids help your body digest fiber.
- Try to drink 8 glasses a day. Choose no- or low-calorie beverages, such as water, unsweetened tea, or diet soda.
If you find this article useful, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family, as you might help someone in need. Thanks.
Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”
