Choose the content to read
- How many types of fiber?
- What are the benefits of fiber?
- What is the recommended daily fiber intake?
- Should I get fiber naturally or take supplements?
- What is the recommended high-fiber menus?
Fiber
Fiber is exclusively derivatives of plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. They are crucial components of a healthy diet. Comprising diverse non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) like cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, beta-glucan, and lignin, they play a vital role in maintaining digestive health despite our bodies' inability to break down fibers.
Microbiome
Human gut microbiome is the ecosystem of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract, a collection of approximately 100 trillion microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, that breaks down dietary fibers and produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, propionate, acetate, and lactate. These SCFAs support the integrity of the intestinal lining, maintaining metabolic health and influencing various physiological processes.
In addition, microbiomes also produce essential vitamin K, vitamin B12 and biotin that yield beneficial compounds, such as N-methyl serotonin (NMS), linked to improved mood and cognitive function. Moreover, the gut-brain axis, a bidirectional communication pathway involving nerves and metabolites, suggests that the microbiome may impact mood, brain function, and mental health conditions.
How many types of fiber?
The dietary fibers comprise diverse entities of complex molecules with myriad chemical structures. They are classifiable, based on their physical aqueous solubility properties, into two types:
- Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber helps with blood sugar control, cholesterol control, and weight loss. Fruits and vegetables, including oats, dry oats, barley, beans, peanuts, soybeans, grapefruit, carrots, and others, are rich sources of soluble fiber. - Insoluble Fiber
Insoluble fiber promotes intestinal peristalsis and bowel movement, aiding in the relief of constipation and irregular bowel movements by helping soften stools. Nuts, wheat, corn, taro, potatoes, and whole wheat bread are good sources of insoluble fiber.
What are the benefits of fiber?
- Stimulate intestinal motility, promote bowel regularity, and alleviate constipation.
- Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer.
- Decrease the risk of hemorrhoids.
- Slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates.
- Lowering cholesterol absorption.
- Improving blood sugar control.
- It aids with weight control and makes you feel full sooner.
- Minimize carcinogen absorption and promote expulsion with feces.
- Lower the risk of heart disease and cancer.
- Improve mood and brain health.
- Fiber-derived SCFAs play an anti-inflammatory and intestinal barrier repair role in the gut and regulate immune responses.
What is the recommended daily fiber intake?
The minimum amount of dietary fiber that the body should consume per day is as follows:
- Adults aged 20 and up should consume at least 25 grams of fiber daily.
- Children aged ten and up should consume 15 grams of fiber per day.
- Children aged five and up should consume 10 grams of fiber per day.
Should I get fiber naturally or take supplements?
Ingesting high-fiber foods from natural sources is the best way to get vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body needs. Eating fiber-rich foods from myriad food sources, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, will help keep you healthy and increase metabolic health. High-fiber food groups comprise the following:
- Legumes, including mung beans, kidney beans, peanuts, green peas, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
- Whole grains, such as coarse rice, oats, barley, quinoa, brown rice, wheat, and corn.
- Fruits, such as apples, berries, oranges, plums, bananas, prunes, and guavas.
- Vegetables, including broccoli, Bok choy, cabbage, kale, collard greens, and spinach.
What is the recommended high-fiber menus?
Many fiber-rich foods are delicious and can be added to a daily menu to increase the nutritional value of each meal. Example of high-fiber menu, such as:
- Breakfast: Oatmeal, whole grains, and fruits, such as passion fruit and berries.
- Lunch: Lentil soup with whole wheat bread sandwich
- Dinner: Fresh vegetable salad with brown rice or quinoa.
Add a generous handful of these flavorful whole grains, nuts, legumes, and versatile greens to your daily meals. Your body will thank you for the fiber boost!
Vegetables rich in fiber promote long-term health benefits
The health of your gut microbiome has profound effects on your overall health. Getting enough fiber each day is key to promoting gut health, immunity, brain health, and overall health, so it is crucial to nourish it properly by eating enough fiber to meet your body's needs to reap the rewards of good health from within.
The diversity of dietary fibers and the complexity of gut bacteria interactions lead to a vast array of potential healthy products. Fiber-rich foods are healthful despite too much fiber causing bloating and gas production, but overall, fiber is considered to have many health benefits. Therefore, we should incorporate an appropriate amount of fiber with each meal daily.
For comprehensive nutrition, consult with a nutritionist.
For comprehensive nutrition, consult with your nutritionist
Individuals' fiber requirements regularly vary depending on their age, gender, general health, and underlying medical conditions. Those with eating disorders, those who avoid eating fruits and vegetables, or those who eat only a small amount of them should consult with a nutritionist to make sure to get adequate nutrients and daily fiber requirements to help maintain good health, promote long-term well-being, and allow bodies to excrete normally.