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How to Get Fibre in Your Diet
by author Abra Brynne

We have come a long way in our understanding of the important role of fibre in the past 30 years, though Hippocrates proclaimed the benefits of fibre more than 2,000 years ago. Dietary is generally defined as the indigestible portions of food, and is present in all plant food. There is no dietary fibre in meat, processed and refined grains or dairy products. Since meat and processed foods make up the average North American diet, daily intake of fibre can be as low as five to 10 grams. For optimal health, three to four times that amount of fibre is recommended.

Fibre is classified according to whether or not it is soluble in water. The soluble fibres include pectin, gums, mucilages and algal polysaccharides. The insoluble fibres are cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Each plays a different role in maintaining and detoxifying our bodies, and the inclusion of all types in the diet is important.

Eating a varied, high-fibre, organic and fresh foods diet is an important element of a healthy lifestyle. According to the Linus Pauling Institute in Oregon, dietary fibre assists with metabolism and prevents the development of adult onset diabetes, reduces blood cholesterol and maintains healthy blood pressure, prevents constipation and inflammation of the colon, and decreases levels of estrogen and testosterone. This evidence comes from studies that did not differentiate between soluble and insoluble dietary fibre.

Soluble Fibre

Soluble fibre is found in oats, dried beans, peas, barley and fruits. It slows the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates–a process that helps prevent wide swings in blood sugar. Some studies suggest that it helps reduce the insulin requirements of patients with diabetes mellitus. Soluble dietary fibre also plays a role in maintaining a healthy heart by binding to dietary cholesterol and helping to eliminate it from the body. This reduces cholesterol deposits on arterial walls. Nutrition guidelines from the Boston University Medical Center indicate that soluble fibre also prevents the absorption of vital bile acids from the small intestine. We then compensate for that loss in bile acid by drawing cholesterol from the body.

Insoluble Fibre

Insoluble dietary fibre is found in whole grains, vegetables and fruit with the peel intact. It aids digestion and helps prevent or improve ulcers, constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. By adding bulk to stools, it decreases the time that fecal material spends in the gut, thereby reducing the exposure of the intestinal walls to possible toxic or carcinogenic substances. Insoluble fibres can also stabilize the pH in the large intestine, reducing the microbial activity that produces carcinogens.

Just as too little dietary fibre carries risks, so does too much. Too much fibre can result in reduced absorption of calcium, iron and zinc, as well as cause reduced energy levels. However, if your fibre is coming from a broad-based whole foods diet rather than just supplements, you pretty much eliminate any risk of overindulging. Wheat bran as a supplement rather than part of the whole grain is a particular culprit when it comes to decreased mineral absorption.

Start Slowly

If your diet has been low in fibre, introduce it slowly so you don’t overload your digestive system, which can lead to cramping, flatulence or a distended stomach. Make sure to drink the recommended six to eight glasses of water a day. Coffee, tea and juice cannot be substituted for pure water.

Introduce a half cup of legumes twice a week by adding it to salads, soups or stews. Note: Cooking reduces the fibre content of some foods, so include a broad selection of raw foods in your diet. Add a rich selection of other fresh vegetables to the lettuce in your salads. Grated carrots or daikon, cucumbers with the peel on, and radish slices work well and are good winter fare. Top off the salad with raw or lightly toasted sunflower seeds. A plate full of colourful, raw vegetables accompanied by a tasty dip is very appealing. Choose a fresh, raw, unpeeled apple over apple juice for a midday treat, as there is no fibre in fruit juice.

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Abra Brynne is the Foodshed Animator of the Christopher Spicer Institute in the West Kootenays.

Source: alive #232, February 2002

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