Nutrition 101: Fiber
I’m sure you’ve heard that you should be eating lots of fiber-rich foods for your health but this quick tip really leaves a lot of questions unanswered. I’ll give you a quick and easy run down of what fiber is, why you need it, how much you need, and where to find it.
What is fiber & why do I need it?
Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate substance found in plant foods. With it being indigestible, our bodies don’t use fiber as much of a fuel source. However, there are plenty of great benefits of including adequate fiber in your diet each day making it an important part of a healthy diet. Some benefits of fiber include:
Lowering cholesterol by binding to cholesterol in the body for excretion
Protecting against heart disease by lowering cholesterol
Providing satiety and satisfaction from meals and snacks
Improving digestion and bowel movements by making stools easier to pass
Protecting GI tract health by making stools easier to pass (straining is not good for your colon!)
Aiding in regulation of blood sugar by slowing down carbohydrate metabolism
Types of fiber:
There are 2 types of fiber - soluble and insoluble - and we need the benefits of both.
Soluble fiber: dissolves in water to create a gelatinous fluid ; helps lower blood pressure and blood sugar
Insoluble fiber: does not dissolve and aids in adding bulk to the stool to help the stool move through the digestive tract ; helps improve constipation and infrequent or irregular bowl movements
Getting fiber in your diet :
Fiber needs vary by sex, caloric needs, and age. A general rule of thumb is 14g fiber/1,000 calories eaten. We can get fiber from our diets via whole grains, fruits, vegetable, nuts, seeds, beans, & legumes. To be more specific, some sources of soluble fiber are oats, chia seeds, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium. Foods such as whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, cauliflower, green beans and potatoes are good sources of insoluble fiber.
Getting enough fiber, and enough of each fiber, can actually be pretty simple when we’re eating a variety of foods, eating all of the food groups, and getting enough calories everyday. The trick with fiber is to make sure you’re getting enough, but not too much. Too little fiber can throw off your blood lipids, impact your digestion, and possibly keep you reaching for simple carbs over and over. Too much fiber can cause stomach pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea and may be a sign that you’re a little too rigid around trying to eat “healthy” or “clean.” If you are following a diet that eliminates starchy carbs and/or fruits, your fiber intake is probably going to affected whether that means not getting enough fiber or getting too much insoluble fiber from vegetables leading to excessive stomach pain, gas and bloating.
Optimal nutrition really is about finding the sweet spot. Here are a few tips to balance out your fiber intake
Don’t eliminate or restrict any food groups - particularly carbohydrates
Don’t use one food group to avoid eating another food group (i.e. filling up on veggies to avoid eating starches or fats)
Include a starch source at each meal and a carbohydrate source at snacks
Don’t restrict calories
Eat a variety of starches, grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts & seeds (mix it up)
Eat the skin/peel of fruits and veggies
Eat the whole fruit/veggie rather than having a juice
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