High fiber food

Increasing the consumption of foods rich in fiber reduces the risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes

       We have all heard about the importance of dietary fiber as an essential part of a healthy diet for its various health benefits. Fiber is a complex of carbohydrates found in plant-based foods that is sometimes referred to as "forage." Its main characteristic is that they cannot be digested in the small intestine, while the other carbohydrates, sugars and starches, are digestible and decomposed into glucose that is used for energy.

Numerous studies have shown that high fiber diets often result in a healthier weight, which in itself is already a protective factor against chronic diseases that can help reduce the risk of many cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity, resistance insulin and cardiovascular disease. In some cases, it also reduces the chance of getting colorectal cancer. Increased fiber intake has also been associated with lower cholesterol levels.

Fiber was originally thought to stick to bad cholesterol in the intestines before it could be absorbed into the bloodstream, and by stimulating peristaltic movement, it helps eliminate harmful fats and even sugars. Now it has been discovered that fiber actually serves as a substrate or food for our healthy intestinal bacteria, the microbiome, who can digest it into useful fragments called short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which in addition to being a way to recover energy , are those that benefit health by improving lipid metabolism, reducing cholesterol, helping control blood sugar and reducing inflammation. Dietary fiber is considered prebiotic. Apart from SCFAs, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane are produced.

Foods rich in fiber are whole grains and derivatives such as bread, oats, rice, wheat, rye, bran and pasta; legumes such as beans, peas, beans and lentils, all fruits and vegetables: mango, pineapple, apple, pear, grape, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, etc., and vegetables such as cassava, celery, and tomato.

There are two types of dietary fiber, and most plant foods contain some of each type:

• Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a thick gel-like substance in the stomach. It is broken down by bacteria in the large intestine and provides some calories.
• Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and passes through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact and is therefore not a source of calories.

Soluble fiber is found in a variety of foods, including:

• Beans and peas
• Fruit
• Oats (such as oat bran and oats)
• Nuts and seeds
• Vegetables

Insoluble fiber is found in a variety of foods, including:

• Fruits (especially with their skin)
• Nuts and seeds
• Vegetables
• Wheat bran
• Whole foods (such as brown rice and whole grain breads, cereals, and pasta)

Soluble fiber can interfere with the absorption of fat and cholesterol in the diet. This, in turn, can help lower the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol in the blood. Soluble fiber also slows down digestion and the rate at which carbohydrates and other nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. This can help control your blood glucose level (often called blood sugar) by preventing rapid rises in blood glucose after a meal.

Insoluble fiber provides "bulk" for stool formation and accelerates the movement of food and waste through the digestive system, which can help prevent constipation.

Both soluble and insoluble fiber make you feel full, which can help you eat less and stay full longer.

Fiber, diabetes 2 and hypertension

According to a study presented at the 2019 American College of Cardiology Middle East Conference, eating high-fiber foods reduces the risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, two huge risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Hypertension or high blood pressure can lead to many complications, including cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, kidney disease, and even strokes, while type 2 diabetes can also lead to other complications such as cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, kidney disease, and wasting vision, among others.

The team of researchers from the Care Well Heart and Super Specialty Hospital in India explored the connection between a high fiber diet and cardiovascular risk factors.

According to the guidelines of the National Institute of Nutrition and the Indian Council for Medical Research, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for dietary fiber is 40g / 2000kcal.

The patients in this study had type 2 diabetes, a calorie intake of 1,200-1,500 kcal, and their daily fiber intake was between 24-30 g. For the study, their fiber intake was increased by as much as 25 percent, bringing it to about 38 grams (this equates to about 1.5 cups of high-fiber cereal).

The study tracked the fiber intake of the 200 participants for six months and included controls at the start of the study, at three months, and at six months. Participants received diet recipes in their regional languages, which included detailed lists of different food groups and serving sizes. Qualified dietitians provided the information through regular counseling sessions and used audiovisual aids to ensure understanding among study participants.

The researchers tracked the participants' fiber intake in a number of ways, including by having patients send photos of their meals via WhatsApp, which not only helped to understand their fiber intake, but also helped to approximate their size. the portions. Telephone calls were made three times a week during which the food consumed was recalled in detail.

For 6 months, the high-fiber diet improved several cardiovascular risk factors:

• 9 percent reduction in serum cholesterol
• 23 percent reduction in triglycerides
• 15 percent reduction in systolic blood pressure
• 28 percent reduction in fasting blood sugar

Big results

According to this study, eating just 25 percent more than the RDA for fiber was all that was needed to see benefits for this population.

Several scientific commentators have stated that this study helps us determine three things that are important to the patient population studied:

• First of all, a high fiber diet is important in cases of diabetes and hypertension to prevent future cardiovascular diseases.
• Second, medical nutrition therapy and regular counseling sessions are also of great importance in the treatment and prevention of diabetes and hypertension.
• Third, this type of diet in combination with medical treatment can improve dyslipidemia, pulse wave velocity, waist-to-hip ratio, and hypertension.

How to get more fiber in your diet

The easiest way to obtain foods with the highest amount of fiber is by sticking to fruits, vegetables, legumes, and greens as an important part of the daily diet.The skins of fruits and vegetables in particular have most of the fiber present. in them

It is recommended that we should take 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day, however, as the specialists recommend “anything above that must be accompanied by drinking enough water so that the fiber is activated and can move through the system. digestive.

According to the 2015-202nd Dietary Guidelines for the US population, foods with the highest fiber content include:

• Ready-to-eat cereal with high-fiber bran: 14 grams in ¾ cup
• White, yellow, black cooked beans: almost 10 grams in 1/2 cup
• Shredded wheat: 5 grams in 1 cup

Big Bottom Line: Eating fiber can benefit everyone's health, and the best sources are fruits, vegetables, legumes, and greens.

In Venezuela we do not have availability of cereals rich in fiber, nor how to access them, perhaps you can get bran, but we can increase the consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes and vegetables, which although expensive, seeing them from the perspective of reducing cardiovascular risk , among other benefits they provide, can be better valued by an informed consumer.

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