ROUGHAGE IN THE DIET - FIBER

                                                   Challa Suresh

     Fiber or "roughage" as it is also known, is essentially a carbohydrate and is found solely in plants. It is found in the walls of the plant's cells and is the only part of the plant that cannot be digested by the human body.

     The main function of fiber is to keep the digestive system healthy and functioning properly. Fiber aids and speeds up the excretion of waste and toxins from the body, preventing them from sitting in the intestine or bowel for too long, which could cause a build-up and lead to several diseases.

     There are two basic types of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber, depending on whether it dissolves in water. Both soluble and insoluble fiber is indigestible by humans. Although insoluble fiber and its health benefits have been known for some time, the benefits of soluble fiber have only recently appeared. Fiber passes through the body virtually unchanged along with other digested food until it arrives at the large intestine. What happens next depends on which type of fiber is present.

     Insoluble fiber promotes the growth of a certain friendly bacteria that ferments and makes the waste material soft and bulky, which in turn helps it to pass through the intestines quicker to the bowel and out of the body. Insoluble fiber prevents constipation, which consists of small, hard and dry faeces that are hard to pass, by adding bulk and liquid to aid movement, and promote regular bowel movements. A larger and softer stool is able to pass through the intestines and bowel more easily and fluidly and is easier to evacuate. As waste material passes through the body quickly and does not stay in the intestines or bowel for very long, toxins are not able to build up and accumulate. This is important in the prevention of distressing diseases such as bowel cancer or other cancers, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids and diverticulitis. Insoluble fiber can be found in foods such as bran, whole meal flour and breads, brown rice, whole grain cereals, vegetables, edible peels of fruit, nuts and seeds.

     Soluble fiber absorbs water in the intestine, which softens the stool and helps the waste material move through the body more quickly. It is thought that soluble fiber may help to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood. This is due to the fact that soluble fiber binds the cholesterol from food or from bile acids, which are made up of cholesterol, preventing it from being absorbed into the bloodstream. This is then eliminated as waste, as the fiber cannot be digested. Soluble fiber also slows down digestion and the sudden release of energy, especially from carbohydrates into the bloodstream. This means that blood sugar levels are more stable, which is good for people with diabetes, and energy or glucose is released slowly and steadily, preventing sudden feelings of tiredness, lack of energy or hunger pangs. Soluble fiber-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, lentils, peas, beans, oats, barley, oatmeal, potatoes, dried fruit, soya milk and soya products.

Importance of Fiber

     Eating a diet that does not contain enough fiber can lead to bowel irregularities and stomach discomforts. Foods that do not contain any or contain very little fiber include refined cereals and white bread, meat and animal products, dairy produce and fast foods. An adequate intake of fiber is about 18g a day, however anything up to 30g - 35g is recommended. If you are going to increase the amount of fiber in your diet, you should also drink higher levels of water to compensate the water that is absorbed by the fiber; otherwise this could also lead to constipation.

Adverse effects of Fiber

      Just as too little fiber in the diet is not good for the body, too much fiber can also have a negative impact. Too much fiber can lead to a deficiency in important minerals such as zinc, calcium and iron. These minerals sometimes bind to the fiber, which is then eliminated from the body without allowing the minerals to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Fiber-rich foods should be increased gradually, starting off with adding more fruit, vegetables and cereals to the diet first. This is because foods such as pulses and beans can lead to excessive flatulence and abdominal discomfort if the body is not used to them. This is not a long-term problem and should only last for a few days whilst the body has time to adjust.

      Foods that are rich in fibre are generally low in fat and calories and do not make you put on weight. In addition, fibre slows down digestion, making you feel satisfied and full up for longer. This will stop you from snacking on unhealthy foods, which do make you put on weight. Fibre-rich foods are often bulky and fill you up quicker as well, which prevents you from overeating. This type of food also slows down the rate at which you eat, giving your brain time to register that your stomach is full with food.

Introduce slowly fiber to the diet

      Fiber should be introduced gradually into the diet and can be done in a number of ways including: Start the day with porridge, high fiber cereals or whole meal bread; Eat more portions of fruit and dried fruit.; Eat potatoes with their skins intact; Include chickpeas or lentils to salads, stews and curries; Try to eat more raw fruit and vegetables; Add seeds and nuts to salads or eat as a snack; Switch to brown rice, brown bread and whole meal pasta; Buy foods containing whole grains; Add barley to homemade soups; Remember to also increase your water intake.

Getting enough in the diet can lower the risk of developing certain health conditions:

Heart disease. Evidence is now growing to support the notion that foods containing soluble fiber can have a positive influence on cholesterol, triglycerides, and other particles in the blood that affect the development of heart disease. Some fruits and vegetables (such as citrus fruits and carrots) have been shown to have the same effect. Soluble fiber is made up of polysaccharides (carbohydrates that contain three or more molecules of simple carbohydrates), and it does dissolve in water. (such as oats, rye barley, and beans)

Cancer. The consumption of fiber speeds up the passage of food through the body. Some experts believe this may prevent harmful substances found in some foods from affecting the colon and may protect against colon cancer. Other types of cancer that may be prevented by a fiber-rich diet include breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer.

Diabetes. Adding fiber to the diet helps regulate blood sugar levels, which is important in avoiding diabetes. In addition, some people with diabetes can achieve a significant reduction in their blood sugar levels and may find they can reduce their medication or do without it altogether.

Diverticular disease is a range of conditions that develop from the presence of one of more small pouches that protrude out of the normally smooth wall of the colon; these pouches can become inflamed and cause symptoms that include abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea, and bleeding from the rectum,   a condition known as diverticulitis. Generally, this condition is caused from being in a continuous state of constipation, so the way to prevent it is to move the food through the system efficiently.

Gallstones and kidney stones. Rapid digestion leads to a rapid release of glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream. To cope with this, the body has to release large amounts of insulin into the bloodstream, and this can make a person more likely to develop gallstones and kidney stones (in addition to diabetes and high cholesterol). Additional fiber in the diet will slow digestion and lessen the effects of insulin.

Hence, Try the rough foods and get smooth results