Research Says that roller milled wheat flour has lower protein and dietary fiber content when compared to stone ground flour (Chakki atta)9
More commonly known as fiber and/or roughage, Dietary Fiber is the indigestible portion of plant food that passes through our digestive system absorbing water along the way. This process eases the body's bowel movements.
The digestive enzymes in our body cannot break fiber down, which is why the latter acts as a binding agent for toxins. In layman terms, what fiber essentially does is evict toxins out of our system through our digestive tract.
There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber is highly soluble in water and changes form as it pushes through the digestive system, while being fermented by bacteria (and accompanying toxins). As the soluble fiber absorbs water, it assumes a gelatinous form.
Insoluble fiber does not change form on its way through the digestive tract. It helps prevent constipation and assists in body waste elimination. All plant-based foods contain both types of fiber, but rarely, if ever, in equal proportions.
Here is a list of foods highly rich in fiber:
Dietary fibre is classified under carbohydrates and hence, can be termed a nutrient. It is the only nutrient that is not absorbed by the body.
A high fibre diet leads to numerous health benefits; balanced blood sugar and cholesterol levels, prevention from heart diseases, prevention from colon cancer, weight management, clean digestive system, body toxins' and waste disposal and clear skin among others.
Dietary fibre, when consumed when your body lacks the water it needs, can lead to dehydration and constipation. Water is an important element for fibre to work its way through the system.
It is 21-28 grams for women and 32-38 grams for men. This is for adults below 50 years of age.
Dietary fibre directly reaches the large intestine but is not digested. It absorbs water along the way while taking toxins, waste, yeast and any fungus along with it. Its ultimate goal is to flush all of those out of your system.
Yes. Although it's always recommended to consume fibre from whole foods, supplements do work as well. Different kinds of fibre perform different functions. Each type of fibre is important for a healthy body. One needs to look for the specific benefits of each type of fibre and consume them as per one's requirements.
Here are particular foods with their content of soluble and insoluble fiber
Soluble fibre tends to slow down the body's breakdown of carbohydrates, lowering the absorption of sugar. Simply put, it assists in controlling your blood sugar levels.
The main goal of dietary fibre is to flush out toxins and waste from your body, leading to a clean colon, a much lower risk of developing haemorrhoids and in general a clear digestive tract. The journey of dietary fibre through the body ensures speedy waste disposal, in turn also fighting constipation.
Soluble fibre helps in lowering the "bad cholesterol" levels. Research suggests this happens due to fibre's ability to reduce the amount of bile stored by our intestines. When fibre interferes with the absorption of bile by the intestines, the bile is excreted with the faeces. Due to this loss of bile, the liver needs to make more bile salts, for which the body needs cholesterol. To obtain this cholesterol, the liver produces LDL receptors whose only job is to pull cholesterol out of the LDL molecules stored in the blood stream. Thus, the more bile salts that need to be made, the more cholesterol is pulled out of the blood.
Although most of us connect dietary fibre with a healthy digestive system, that's not all this champion nutrient does. A high-fibre diet balances out your sugar and blood cholesterol levels, lowers the risk of heart strokes by up to 40% and even reduces blood pressure. So regular consumption of fibre means you're looking at a healthier heart too.
Fibre consumption tends to make one feel fuller than other foods without adding many calories to your diet, leading to a reduction in unnecessary munching and binge eating.
Dietary fibre reduces the risk of little pouches in the colon, thereby drastically lowering the risk of colon cancer. Research suggests this happens because fibre passes quickly through the colon, thus, flushing cancer causing compounds out of the body, or changing their form to make them less harmful. So consuming the required amount of fibre (daily) will reduce the risk of colorectal tumours.
As fibre absorbs water like a sponge on its way through the digestive system, it's crucial to keep yourself hydrated at all times. Thus, if you're having enough fibre but aren't drinking enough water, that can lead to severe dehydration. Your body requires a balance of both in order to flush out toxins and body waste and function properly. If your lacks the H2O that fibre requires, it could also lead to constipation and bloating. Remember, they work as a team here; dietary fibre will not function in its element without its liquid cohort.
