The health benefits of fiber

MANILA, Philippines - Do you still feel hungry after a hefty meal? Do you feel tired or weak more often than not? Do you regularly eliminate the equivalent of what you eat every day? If you answered yes to any of these, you may be lacking fiber in your diet.

Although most of us know its importance, very few of us truly know its vital role in our diet and in our lives.

Nutritionists and scientists recognize dietary fiber as something more than just a nutrient on your plate. As we predominantly consume proteins and animal fats, our poor eating habits can prompt illness and disease of the digestive system largely due to lack of fiber in our diet.

Many of these illnesses start during our youth, but symptoms usually don’t appear until our 40s or 50s. Yesterday’s poor eating habits (of low fiber and refined foods) mean a higher risk for serious conditions later in life such as chronic constipation, heart disease, colon cancer and diabetes.

Thank goodness fiber is found in plants and is generally not digested or absorbed by the body. Fibers are grouped into two broad categories: the soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Each has a role in promoting and maintaining good health.

Soluble fibers (mostly found in non-wheat kinds of fiber like the type found in oat bran) are known to reduce blood cholesterol levels and normalize blood sugar levels. On the other hand, insoluble fiber, such as the type found in wheat bran, is known to promote bowel regularity. Like soluble fiber, insoluble fiber helps in the management of diabetes by slowing the rate by which your body absorbs glucose. Many commonly used plant sources of fiber contain both soluble and insoluble fibers. Psyllium husks, for example, contain a mixture of 70-percent soluble and 30-percent insoluble fibers.

A diet that is high in fiber and low in fat may help with weight control especially among Filipino women. A study by the World Health Organization shows that 23.5 percent of the Filipino population, majority of which are female, are obese and overweight. All they need to do to gain back their slim figure is to ingest high amounts of fiber.

The bulk that is created in the intestines — as insoluble fiber absorbs water — can reduce appetite by making you feel full faster, a definite plus for those who are trying to lose weight.

A typical Filipino breakfast plate is loaded with sinangag, ulam (viand), and fried egg. During merienda, one can choose from a wide selection of sweet food items like halo-halo, biko, bananacue or saba con hielo. Evidently, the Filipino diet is high in cholesterol, carbohydrates, salt and sugar.

A recent nutrition and health study done by the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) shows that more Filipinos have hypertension, high blood sugar and high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which are risk factors to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other lifestyle-related diseases. Furthermore, previous studies have shown that Filipinos are at a higher risk for Type II Diabetes. The impact of our daily diet on our health is definitely significant that’s why a positive change in our diet is a must. We need to increase fiber in our meals.

“Fiber helps reduce blood sugar, cholesterol and weight, thereby also helping reduce the risk of heart disease. It also promotes gastrointestinal well-being,” says Dr. Eliseo Banaynal, medical director of Pascual Laboratories.

While fiber offers a great deal of benefits, most Filipinos seem to be missing out on a lot, if not all, of it.

Most people associate fiber with oatmeal and cereal. But how much fiber does one really get from these?

The required daily amount of fiber is 21 to 26 grams for women and 30 to 38 grams for men. Other high-fiber foods are bananas, apples, carrots, avocados, corn, onions, pasta, whole wheat bread, brown rice, almonds, kidney beans and even peppers. But for a woman to get the minimum daily amount of fiber, she has to eat four slices of whole wheat bread, one ounce of almonds and two apples with skin. Men, on the other hand, need to consume the same amount of the food items mentioned plus four medium-sized carrots and a banana.

The good news is fruits, vegetables, oatmeal and cereal are not the only sources of fiber.

C-Lium Fibre, a fiber supplement made from 100-percent Psyllium, provides 14 times more fiber than oatmeal and cereal because it is both soluble and insoluble fiber. Now, one can enjoy the health benefits of fiber with C-Lium Fibre.