Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is not absorbed by the body and is found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and cereals. Proper dietary fiber intake is important to maintain gastrointestinal health and prevent health problems such as constipation.
In addition, dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber, helps regulate blood sugar and increases satiety, fighting diseases such as diabetes and obesity, so the recommended daily amount of fiber for adults is between 25 and 38 grams.
In general, the health benefits of fibers are
To really benefit from a high-fiber diet, the best thing you can do is eat high-fiber foods every day, as part of all the main meals and snacks. Another important aspect of this type of diet is that it should increase your water intake, as water moisturizes the fibers and lubricates the intestines, which helps the body get rid of stool more easily and prevents constipation.
The following table lists foods high in fiber and their quantities:
Cereal
Amount of fiber (100 g)
Wheat sound
30 grams
rye flour
15. 5g
Oatmeal
9. 1 grams
Cooked brown rice
2. 7 grams
Wholemeal bread
6. 9g
Vegetables, vegetables and by-products
Cassava flour
6. 5g
Braised cabbage
5. 7g
Boiled broccoli
3. 4g
Raw carrot
3. 2g
Boiled Sweet potato
2. 2g
Green pepper
2. 6g
Boiled pumpkin
2. 5g
Raw Pumpkin
1. 6g
ensalada
2g
Fruit
Khaki
6. 5g
Avocado
6. 3g
Guava
6. 3g
Orange
4. 1g
apple
2. 0g
Plum
2. 4g
Banana
2. 6g
Nuts and seeds
Flax seeds
33. 5g
Almonds
11. 6g
Brazil nuts
7. 9 g
Raw coconut
5. 4g
Cashew nuts
3. 7g
Misery
8. 0g
Sesame seeds
11. 9g
veg
Soybean meal
20. 2g
Cooked pinto beans
8. 5g
Green beans
9. 7 grams
Cooked lentils
7. 9g
Pea
7. 5 grams
chickpeas
12. 4g
Black beans
8. 4g
Dietary fiber can be classified as soluble or insoluble, the main difference between them is that soluble fibers dissolve in water, while insoluble fibers do not, everyone has advantages.
Soluble fibers dissolve in water to form a gel, so they stay longer in the stomach and small intestine and give it a feeling of satiety.
In addition, soluble fibers are metabolized and fermented by good bacteria in the gut, which helps maintain intestinal health and reduces inflammation by preventing the onset of gastrointestinal diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and colorectal cancer, so they can be considered prebiotic.
These fibers also attach to the fat and sugar of food in the intestines, helping to lower cholesterol and control blood sugar levels.
Pectin and inulin are types of soluble dietary fiber found in fruits, vegetables, cereals and foods containing oats, wheat germ, barley and rye.
Insoluble fibers are not dilutable in water and fermentation in the gastrointestinal microbiota is limited. Thus, when they reach the large intestine, they accelerate gastrointestinal transit because they increase the amount of stool and act as a natural laxative, which avoids problems such as constipation, hemorrhoids and intestinal inflammation, as well as helping to eliminate toxins that come from the intestines. .
Insoluble fibers include cellulose and lignin, found in whole grains, especially almonds, chia and linaza, nuts, raisins and fruit and vegetable skins.
Daily fiber intake should be approximately 20 to 40 grams per day. A tip for eating more high-fiber foods is to increase your intake of raw and whole foods (e. g. skinned fruits and vegetables) and avoid refined foods, such as white flour. and white rice.
To treat constipation, it is important to remember that in addition to increasing fiber consumption, water consumption (running water or sugar-free tea) should also be increased, because water moisturizes fibers in the intestines, which helps stools move in the package leaflet. Eating more foods with water, such as jam, orange and watermelon, also helps prevent constipation due to ingestion of more fiber but not enough water.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the recommended daily amount of fiber varies by age and gender, according to the following table:
GROUP
Amount of fiber in humans per 1000 kcal/day
Amount of fiber in women per 1000 kcal/day
0 to 6 months
Only breast milk
Only breast milk
6 to 12 months
No information
No information
1 to 3 years
19 grams
19 grams
4 to 8 years
25 grams
25 grams
9 to 13 years old
31 grams
26 grams
14 to 18 years old
38 grams
26 grams
19 to 50 years old
38 grams
25 grams
> 50 years
30 grams
21 grams
Pregnancy
–
29 grams
Breastfeeding
–
29 grams
Finally, another way to eat more fiber is to supplement all your meals with a source of fiber, such as oatmeal, ground weed or whole wheat bran, for example, you can add oats to a fruit salad or add wheat germ to your yogurt.