Vegetables and fruits rich in fiber should be eaten fresh whenever possible. When choosing between an apple in the skin and apple juice, the first product should be preferred as it contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. Eating fiber will not be beneficial if you minimize your water intake.
The role of fiber in the diet has been appreciated by modern medicine and dietetics only in the last 15 years, so many people still do not see a special need to absorb, for example, bran, which are still not absorbed by the body. However, fiber is necessary as a ballast substance that can absorb carcinogens, remove harmful cholesterol from the body, create volume in the stomach, thereby preventing overeating.
Half a century ago, the issue of fiber intake was not so relevant, since the daily diet contained whole-grain bread, a lot of vegetables, cereals, and not cereals from them, legumes. The diet of a modern person, based on instant products that have passed the stages of cleaning, grinding, steaming, leads to a deficiency of dietary fiber, which, in turn, increases the risk of developing intestinal diseases.
The daily amount of fiber a person needs
Despite the fact that ancient people could consume up to 60 grams of fiber, it is important not to overdo it in taking care of your health. Nutritionists say that the optimal amount of fiber per day should be 15-35 grams. Exceeding this norm is fraught with flatulence, bloating and abdominal pain, and an excess of fiber can adversely affect the absorption of vitamins and certain medications. The daily rate of fiber also depends on age. The maximum amount is needed by people from 15 to 50 years old, after which its consumption should be gradually reduced by 5-10 units.
Since dietary fiber is divided into soluble and insoluble, both are needed. The ratio of soluble fiber (pectin, inulin, polysaccharides, gums, mucus) and insoluble fiber (cellulose, lignin) should be 3: 1. Fiber-rich foods contain both types. So, in the pulp of fruits, roots, legumes, there is a lot of soluble fiber, and in their peel - insoluble. Therefore, it is much more useful to eat a carrot or an unpeeled apple than to drink carrot-apple juice, in which there will be less soluble fiber and no insoluble fiber at all.
Features of the use of foods rich in fiber
Fiber can now be bought in pharmacies and in most large supermarkets, but this is necessary if it was not possible to normalize intestinal activity with the help of ordinary food. With a diet poor in fiber, nutritionists advise to eat a tablespoon of bran, which are leading in terms of its content, in the morning on an empty stomach. In this case, you need to drink a sufficient amount of liquid, under the influence of which the soluble fiber swells and takes on a jelly-like state. Thanks to water, pectins begin to absorb cholesterol in the stomach, which is subsequently excreted from the body.
Bran is recommended to be added to fermented milk products, baked goods, cereals. They can be eaten up to three tablespoons a day. In fact, the porridge itself is a full-fledged source of fiber, especially if it is cooked from whole grains. If you add fresh or dried fruit to it, the amount of fiber in the serving will increase. If you get serious about enriching your daily menu with fiber, you can make yourself a table of foods rich in dietary fiber. So, 120 gr. beans will deliver 8 gr. fiber, and one oatmeal cookie - 1, 5.
It is not at all necessary to keep a strict record of the food consumed, you just need to make it a rule to eat more fresh vegetables during the day: cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, pumpkin. As for heat treatment, the less it is, the healthier the food. When cooking potatoes, you should give preference to the product "in uniform", rather than crushed in mashed potatoes. It is useful to arrange snacks from nuts and dried fruits, as well as replace them with a sweet dessert. Whole grain bread made from wholemeal flour will be 2 times more nutritious than white bread made from premium flour.
