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: IF there is any food or part of our food that passes through the body with out being absorbed by the blood, it is fibre. Useless or what a waste you may say, but do you also know that if fibre is not present in our diet at all, then it is also dangerous for our body system? Useful! you may also say — That is it. Fibre has both advantage and disadvantage, but it must be noted that its advantage is more important to us.
Fibre is the framework of plants, though it passes through the body without any absorption into the blood stream; it relates to our good health.
Both natural health practitioners and nutritionists have realised the fact that removing it from food could predisposes the body to some ailments and disease conditions. Many people also believe that fiber is of no value. Some are of the opinion that removing it from food increases the caloric density of food and the speed with which it will be absorbed into the blood stream. Some food manufacturers say fibre does nothing and of no nutritional values and as such removing it during food processing also prolong the food shelf life.
But the truth is that fibre is highly needed by the body and studies are increasingly showing the uncompromised imporant part fibre plays in today’’s modern over-refined diet. It falls into two basic categories — the water soluble fibre and insoluble fibre. Another hard-to-believe truth is that animal foods do not contain any fiber as many people do believe.
What is special about fiber and what does it do?
Fibre according to nutritionists plays a active role in many of the body’s digestive and metabolic processes. Fibre also plays a very critical and useful role in body weight control. It prevents diseases like diabetes and also aid smooth digestion.
Dr. Paul O. Ojeih of Iris medical Foundation, a popular naturopath, attested to this while speaking in Lagos recently on some natural foods that can boost our health and prevent certain diseases. Fibre, he said, plays an important role in protecting against colon cancer. Eating a variety of unrefined food is one of the best way to supply the body with the fibre needed.
Also a report credited to the American Society of Nutritionists also said that since foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products make up more than 30 per cent of the calories of the typical western diet, and much of the rest comes from sugar and other refined foods, then the simple meaning is that many people derived less than one-third of the needed fiber by the body each day.
Functions of fibre in the body — Soluble fibre for instance affects blood cholesterol levels. This, they do by attaching itself to the cholesterol in the body and other by-products of fat digestion; they then pull them right out of the body. Without soluble fibre’s action, most of the left over cholesterol would be reabsorbed back into the blood stream, and add to the already built-up cholesterol which is dangerous to the health.
Insoluble fibre has high water holding capacity. It absorbs water four to six times its own volume thereby creating soft, spongy masses within the stomach as well as in the small and large intestines. When it does this, the result is that a sense of fullness is created much sooner in the stomach compared to low-fiber foods. This helps to protect against over-eating and aid in weight control.
The fibre tissues, it should be noted, also act like soaked-up sponges, fill the intestines completely and stimulate them to lively activity. The spongy masses from the fibre passes much more quickly within the stomach and are evacuated in 24 to 36 hours without staying several days in the gastro intestinal tract in compacted clumps unlike low-fiber foods will do.
Because of this action of fibre, it has the ability of preventing and curing most constipations and significantly tackle the problems associated with
hemorrhoids and diverticular diseases. No wonder fibre-rich food is usually recommended by nutritionisits as a simple treatment or“magic” for serious constipation.
Fibre-rich food has less transit time within the stomach thus less putrefaction i.e. (decomposition of organic materials) in the intestine. Therefore, there is less time for carcinogens and other harmful end products of digestion to irritate the bowel walls.
It also provides needed insulation against damaging food residues, and this fiber — related actions may be linked to the lower colon cancer rates among people with higher fibre intakes as documented in nutrition research books.
Fibre, according to nutritionists, also slows down the rate at which nutrients enter the blood steam. They said this helps to smooth out the ups and downs of blood sugar levels and provided more consistent energy throughout the day. A stabilised sugar aids in the control of diabetes.
Where or in what food can one get fibre? Fibre is very abundant in all unrefined plant foods. It can be gotten from eating a variety of fruits, whole grains, vegetables and legumes like beans, lentils and peas. Soluble fibre is also plenty in oats. Oat bran some researchers claim is a valuable cholesterol-lowering food.
Other fruits and foods like cereals, apple, garbanzo beans, cooked broccoli, peas, whole-wheat bread, berries, are also potential source of fibre food.
Furthermore, a statement credited to a nutritionist, Dr. Bamidele Ogaga said breast cancer is common in women who eat too much proteineous food.
So to guide against breast cancer, the anti-breast cancer diet to turn to is fiber-rich food, which interrupts many of the steps of oestrogen activity. This is also attested to by the duo of Drs. A. Ludington and Hans Diehl in their book titled: Living Healthy.
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