Rosalee Brown
WE HAVE been told at some time or another that roughage is a good thing to have in our diet for our bowel's sake, but roughage is not such a popular word anymore, now we hear a lot about fibre and its many benefits.
Dietary fibre is that part of food substances that is resistant to chemical digestion. This includes cellulose, gums and pectin, and are usually classified according their solubility in water.
SOLUBLE FIBRE
Soluble fibre (water soluble) includes cellulose, lignin and natural gel-forming substances such as gum. Most plant foods contain both soluble and insoluble fibre. Many disease processes such as high blood pressure, diabetes, polyps of the colon and colon cancer, have been investigated with respect to their relationship to dietary fibre intake. Because of soluble fibre's characteristic to hold water, it can also bind cholesterol-like substances and some minerals in the intestines, making them unavailable to the body. There is some strong evidence which indicates that water-soluble fibre found in food such as peas, beans, lentils, apples, mangoes, citrus fruits, prunes, oatmeal and oat bran can help to prevent cholesterol and saturated fat from entering the blood stream because of its gel-like property. High levels of cholesterol in the blood can lead to cardiovascular diseases by encouraging plaque formation on blood vessel walls.
INSOLUBLE FIBRE
Insoluble fibre, also found in oats, whole wheat, brown rice, seeds and vegetables, can form bulk in the stomach thereby adding to the feeling of fullness. A diet high in fibre can reduce excess calories from refined foods which have their fibre removed. Since the fibre components provide no caloric benefit, the deficit in calories can lead to eventual weight loss. Insoluble fibre also forms bulk in the intestine, making food movements easier and the passage of stool more frequent with less risk of constipation.
It is recommended that healthy adults consume eight to 10g fibre per 1,000 calories daily (Dietary Allowance for the Caribbean), the Americans recommend 20 to 35g or 13g per 1000 calories daily. Many persons, even in the Caribbean, are not meeting their daily fibre recommendation.
The table below shows some popular foods and their approximate fibre content.
As can be seen, red beans provide the highest amount of soluble fibre in this table and vegetables such as carrots are good sources. Also, when apples are peeled they provide negligible amounts, as most of the fibre is contained in the skin. It is good to eat your orange, including the 'gut'.
It is good to get fibre from whole foods as much as possible instead of supplements, since food offers many other benefits apart from fibre. Fibre should be increased in the diet gradually, as too much too soon can cause digestive problems in some individuals such as bloating, flatulence, diarrhoea and even constipation, as water should be increased as fibre increases.
Make an effort to increase your fibre daily until you are at the recommended level.
Rosalee Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
