Say “Hi” To Fiber

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Fiber is an essential component in a healthy diet. Dietary fiber is part soluble fiber and part insoluble fiber. Both are important not only to gut health but also to overall human health through the maintenance of a healthy biome, lowering of lipids that lead to heart disease, cancer prevention, and not the least important — healthy poops! (Sorry, I’m a pediatrician by training and discussions of “poop parties” is a daily occurrence! So, I will continue to call stool or fecal material “poop,” because it is much more fun and makes most people giggle…)

What Is the Difference Between Soluble and Insoluble Fiber?

Soluble fiber is dissolvable in water and is very easy for our gut bacteria to ferment into gases and biologically active byproducts in the colon. It feeds the good bacteria in our intestines, and creates a gelatinous substance that protects the gut lining.

Insoluble fiber is not dissolvable or digestible, but is important in providing bulk to help poop move easily through the gut. It also feeds our good bacteria which contributes to fermentation in the gut. Knowing the difference does not really matter as most whole plant foods will be a combination of the two and you will get what you need.

If you research it, plant-based foods can be broken down and names given to different fiber components. For example, one soluble fiber is inulin, which is a naturally occurring carbohydrate (or fructan) found in a variety of edible and non-edible plants such as onions, asparagus, bananas, garlic and Jerusalem artichokes. Since inulin is beneficial, it is isolated by food manufacturers and removed from these plants, and then added back into yogurt and granola bars as an ingredient to increase the fiber content.

Other soluble fibers are alginates found in algae, raffinose found in legumes, xylose — a breakdown product of hemicellulose and also found in wood — and pectin, found in fruit skins. Some examples of insoluble fibers are cellulose found in fruits, vegetables and cereals, chitin found in fungi, hemicellulose found in whole grains like wheat, barley, rye and oat, and lignin found in vegetables.

Six Benefits of Eating High Fiber Foods

1. Fiber Is A Filler, So You Eat Less

Fiber makes you feel more full, and makes that satiety last longer. This results in eating fewer calories than in a similar meal without fiber. Thus, fiber is related to lower obesity rates. Anyone battling excess weight would benefit from eating more fiber with each meal and snacks throughout the day.

2. Fiber Lowers LDL Bad Cholesterol

Fiber binds to bile acids in the small intestine resulting in decreased formation of LDL, the bad cholesterol in the blood. This bad cholesterol is what leads to plaque formation in the arteries causing heart disease and heart attacks. This is one of the reasons why the American Heart Association recommends eating a high fiber diet.

3. Fiber Feeds The Biome

Fiber improves the good bacterial activity in the gut. Fiber acts as a prebiotic which means it feeds the good bacteria aka biome, that are crucial to our health. This biome increases in number, diversity, and activity as a result of a healthy fiber intake. The bacteria in the gut ferment the fiber in the large intestine improving gut function, immune system function, and inflammation, as well as improving glucose and lipid metabolism.

4. Fiber Decreases Diabetes Risk

Fiber helps to regulate glucose (blood sugar) metabolism and decreases diabetes risk; the exact mechanism is not fully known. We do know that one type of insoluble dietary fiber increases insulin sensitivity which leads to healthier glucose metabolism.

5. Fiber Lowers Colon and Breast Cancer Risk

Fiber has been associated with lower risk of colon cancer by balancing intestinal pH and stimulating intestinal fermentation creating short-chain fatty acids — among other mechanisms yet to be uncovered. High fiber intake has also been associated with lower breast cancer rates. The American Cancer Society recommends a high fiber diet.

6. Fiber Creates Healthy Poop

Fiber increases the bulk and improves the consistency of the end result of digestion, the poop. Healthy fluffy fiber-full poop moves through the large intestine easily and elimination becomes effortless and painless, which you may take for granted if you have never had a problem with constipation. But anyone who suffers from constipation knows that hard slow moving poop causes a lot of discomfort not only with painful sometimes bloody defecation, but also with chronic abdominal cramping and pain from colonic distention.

The Standard American Diet

Pizza, French fires, soda, you know…the whole array of processed packaged refined foods is completely lacking not only in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, but also fiber, which is found in abundance in a whole foods plant-based diet. If you eat nutritiously from real whole foods that resemble what they started out as, that comes primarily from plant sources, getting enough fiber occurs naturally without thinking about it. For example, if your breakfast comes from a box in the freezer or shelf, like frozen waffles or refined O-cereal, there will be minimal fiber left after all the refining of the grains — maybe 1 gram. But if you eat a whole grain like oatmeal or millet as your breakfast cereal, you will get 4 grams of fiber.

How Much Fiber Should We Eat In A Day?

Again, if you eat a whole food, plant-strong diet, then there is no need to count grams, as you will be getting plenty of fiber naturally. The best way!! But for you counters out there, shoot for about 30-40 grams of dietary fiber per day. Food highest in fiber are legumes, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and dried fruits.

A warning about health claims on packaged foods: According to one study, a food may state “Made with whole grains” if it contains at least 8 grams of whole grains per serving, but this does not guarantee the food is the healthiest choice. In fact, many of these labeled foods actually have more sugar and calories than similar grain products without the stated claim. Look for the first ingredient on the list and for the word “whole” before the grain, like whole wheat or whole barley.

Recipes That Say “Hi” To Fiber

HI FIBER BREAKFAST OATMEAL FOR ONE

Combine 1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal with 1/4 cup water and 1/3 cup nut milk. Heat until cooked (1 minute in microwave or a few minutes on the stove). Add the following to increase the fiber content: Handful of raspberries and blueberries, a few walnuts and sliced almonds, a sprinkle of chia seeds, hemp hearts sprinkle or ground flax seed, a handful of chopped dried apricots.

DELICIOUS LENTIL SOUP

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ginger powder
• 4 cups of veggie broth
• 1 cup lentils
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• salt and pepper to taste

In large pot, sauté all the vegetables (except scallions) with the spices in some of the broth until soft. Add the rest of broth, lentils, and the remaining ingredients and simmer on low for 40 min until lentils are cooked as desired. Season and serve.

BLACK BEAN, CORN, AND EDAMAME SALAD

• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can chick peas
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup edamame, cooked for 5 min
• 1/2 cup scallions
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Toss together all the vegetables and beans. Mix the dressing and toss with the salad.

CHICKPEAS WITH ROASTED GARLIC

• 1-2 heads of garlic with cloves divided and peeled, depending on your love of garlic
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 1 can chick peas
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 dried chipotle pepper
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sliced olives of your choice
• 2 scallions sliced
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped basil
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

In a 400 degree F oven, roast the garlic cloves for 10 min. Sauté onion, celery, pepper in broth or water for 3 minutes. Add the chick peas and spices and cook another 7 minutes. Toss with the remaining ingredients and the roasted garlic and serve!

Sandra Musial, MD, co-founder of Plant Docs, is a Rhode Island physician specializing in food as medicine, and dedicated to preserving health and reserving lifestyle-related chronic disease through whole, plant-based nutrition. Meet Sandy Sunday, June 9 at New England Veg Fest, and attend her compelling talk on “Chronic Disease Reversal Using Food As Medicine” at 12:30pm.

Find holistic Nutrition in the Spirit of Change online Alternative Health Directory.