Dietary Fiber 4










Dietary Fiber Content Of Foods

Dietary Fiber 3

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI for Fiber)

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Dietary Fiber 2

Benefits of Fiber

Insoluble fiber binds water, making stools softer and bulkier. Therefore, fiber, especially that found in whole grain products, is helpful in the treatment and prevention of constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. Diverticula are pouches of the intestinal wall that can become inflamed and painful. In the past, a low-fiber diet was prescribed for this condition. It is now known that a high-fiber diet gives better results once the inflammation has subsided.


Water-soluble fiber binds bile acids, suggesting that a high-fiber diet may result in an increased excretion of cholesterol. Low blood cholesterol levels (below 200 mg/dl.) have been associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.Some types of fiber, however, appear to have a greater effect than others. The fiber found in rolled oats is more effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels than the fiber found in wheat. Pectin has a similar effect in that it, too, can lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood.

Other claims for fiber are less well founded. Dietary fiber may help reduce the risk of some cancers, especially colon cancer. This idea is based on information that insoluble fiber increases the rate at which wastes are removed from the body. This means the body may have less exposure to toxic substances produced during digestion. However, more recent studies have not confirmed the protective effects of fiber in developing colon cancer. A diet high in animal fat and protein also may play a role in the development of colon cancer.

High-fiber diets may be useful for people who wish to lose weight. Fiber itself has no calories, yet provides a "full" feeling because of its water-absorbing ability. For example, an apple is more filling than a half cup of apple juice that contains about the same calories. Foods high in fiber often require more chewing, so a person is unable to eat a large number of calories in a short amount of time.

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Dietary Fiber 1







What Is Dietary Fiber?




Dietary fiber comes from the portion of plants that is not digested by enzymes in the intestinal tract. Part of it, however, may be metabolized by bacteria in the lower gut.



Different types of plants have varying amounts and kinds of fiber, including pectin, gum, mucilage, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Pectin and gum are water-soluble fibers found inside plant cells. They slow the passage of food through the intestines but do nothing to increase fecal bulk. Beans, oat bran, fruit and vegetables contain soluble fiber.


In contrast, fibers in cell walls are water insoluble. These include cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Such fibers increase fecal bulk and speed up the passage of food through the digestive tract. Wheat bran and whole grains contain the most insoluble fiber, but vegetables and beans also are good sources.


Soluble Fiber: oatmeal, oatbran,nuts,seeds, legumes (peas,beans,lentils),apples,pears,strawberries,blueberries.


Insoluble Fiber: whole grains (wholewhaet bread, brown rice,etc..) ,wheat bran, carrots, cucumbers, zucchinin, tomatoes.


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