JAT JYOTI

 A NEWS BULLETIN OF THE JAT COMMUNITY

DIETARY FIBER -  A REMEDY FOR MANY ILLS

[Health is wealth. This wealth is present in dietary fiber. High fiber diet helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Food rich in fiber reduces blood sugar. Fiber is the best aid for bowl regularity and prevention of gastro - intestinal disorders, colon cancer and piles. Fiber helps in weight control as it can replace high fat and high calorie food. Read on for more details.]

The present concept of diet for healthy living includes not only vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and fats but also the intake of fiber in adequate amounts. In fact, fiber is the non-digestible portion of the fruits, vegetables, dried beans and peas, whole grain breads and cereals. As it can not be digested or absorbed in the body, it has no nutrition value by itself. It provides bulk in the diet and is, therefore, more commonly known as roughage food. The bulk, however, serves several purposes. It helps speed the digestion of food as well as the elimination of wastes. It also enables the digestive system to utilize the nutrients in regulated manner as the waste materials comfortably moves through the intestines to elimination.

Fiber Types

There are two types of fiber, viz., water soluble and water insoluble.

Fiber, thus, includes a variety of substances, including bran in whole wheat, pectin in apple and fresh fruit, lignin in grains and dried beans, and dietary gums such as guar gum.

Benefits

Different fibers perform different functions in the body. Water soluble fiber such as pectin in apples, fruits and oat bran can help lower blood cholesterol level by greater amounts than what is achievable by a low fat diet alone. In the diabetes, soluble fiber of barley, oatmeal, carrots and dried beans help considerably by slowing the rate at which carbohydrates are absorbed and thus helps regulate blood sugar level.

    A well known benefit of wheat bran, leafy vegetables and the fiber in dried beans is their ability to prevent constipation. These fibers bind to water in the intestine and improve elimination. Lesser intestine stay time and the dilution of faecal constituents by the roughage, reduce the colon and rectum cancer. Both soluble and insoluble fibers are known for weight control as it can replace high fat and high calorie food and lead to reduction in calories intake. Too much fiber in diet can, however, interfere with the absorption of some minerals such as calcium, zinc, magnesium and iron. Recommendations for fiber intake have not been established but it is generally accepted that a diet that contains about 35 to 40 gms of fiber is beneficial to the health of all adults. That amount can be obtained from the following