Fibre
suziecue25
Posts: 289 Member
As usual every January here in the UK the news is full of health related topics/warnings - yesterdays topic/warning was the importance of incorporating sufficient fibre into our diets to vastly reduce the risk of stroke, bowel cancer etc. Apparently only a very small percentage of the population of the UK manage to ingest enough fibre.
I changed my MFP diary settings from sodium to fibre and was shocked to see how far I was from hitting my 21g target, even though I eat veggies, avocados, baked potatoes and whole grain bread.......I have been averaging 10g per day.
I intend to try and up my fibre now because my Mother ended up having to have a colostomy and I don't want that to happen to me.
What do people on here think about the importance of fibre?
I changed my MFP diary settings from sodium to fibre and was shocked to see how far I was from hitting my 21g target, even though I eat veggies, avocados, baked potatoes and whole grain bread.......I have been averaging 10g per day.
I intend to try and up my fibre now because my Mother ended up having to have a colostomy and I don't want that to happen to me.
What do people on here think about the importance of fibre?
1
Replies
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Fibre is very important but certainly isn't the only thing that prevents colon cancer risk. Antioxidants, found in plants, are also very important. As well as reducing, refined sugars, saturated and trans fats....
New research is also showing that resistant starch is very beneficial for digestion and colon health as well as helping to control blood sugar.
I personally started taking powdered potatoe starch and it has done wonders for my blood sugar.
P.S. if you are thinking of taking a fibre supplement, stick to natural sources like ground flax or psyillium...store bought crap like Metamucil (the orange stuff) has added ingredients that really aren't good for you.9 -
Eating more fiber has been shown by WHO to be an important part of healthy diet. I believe the research highlighted the importance of wholegrains.
There isn’t a magic bullet for health. Eating a varied and balanced diet would be a good place to start. You might want to research BlueZones, a study that looked at the habits of people living in the places on earth where people live the longest in good health. It’s not just about diet, but it gives plenty of food for thought.3 -
Thank you both for your replies. I think I will take a fibre supplement because I only have 1200 calories to play with and although I do and always have eaten a varied and balanced diet it is difficult to get 20g + of fibre with so few calories. If I had say 1800 there would be no problem without a supplement.
I have been allotted 1200 cals per day by MFP because I am female, 70, & 5ft0 -
For me, the days I eat beans or lentils along with the whole grains, fruits and veggies I usually eat, are the days I hit my fiber goal.
OP, 1200 may well be accurate for you due to your height, just make sure you aren't set to lose weight too quickly, and if you find yourself struggling, do whatever you can to get more activity into your day, as it is difficult to get everything you need into 1200 cals :drinker:2 -
suziecue25 wrote: »As usual every January here in the UK the news is full of health related topics/warnings - yesterdays topic/warning was the importance of incorporating sufficient fibre into our diets to vastly reduce the risk of stroke, bowel cancer etc. Apparently only a very small percentage of the population of the UK manage to ingest enough fibre.
I changed my MFP diary settings from sodium to fibre and was shocked to see how far I was from hitting my 21g target, even though I eat veggies, avocados, baked potatoes and whole grain bread.......I have been averaging 10g per day.
I intend to try and up my fibre now because my Mother ended up having to have a colostomy and I don't want that to happen to me.
What do people on here think about the importance of fibre?
Very important. I try to get over 30 grams a day.
My food diary is open, though I just started tracking again this week.0 -
Fibre is very important but certainly isn't the only thing that prevents colon cancer risk. Antioxidants, found in plants, are also very important. As well as reducing, refined sugars, saturated and trans fats....
New research is also showing that resistant starch is very beneficial for digestion and colon health as well as helping to control blood sugar.
I personally started taking powdered potatoe starch and it has done wonders for my blood sugar.
P.S. if you are thinking of taking a fibre supplement, stick to natural sources like ground flax or psyillium...store bought crap like Metamucil (the orange stuff) has added ingredients that really aren't good for you.
Do you follow Tim Steele's blog? My husband and I have added RS to our diets, my husband takes it with a probiotic and has seen improvements with his IBS symptoms.0 -
I think fiber is important, but mostly I think well-rounded nutrition is important. If I eat accordingly, fiber (for me) pretty much takes care of itself. When I briefly but mistakenly thought I should eat 1200 net calories (which turned out to be way too low for me), it looks like I was getting 20-29g fiber most days. Now, in maintenance, it's more like 30-50g most days, from food. (I prefer to get nutrients from food, when possible - it's evolution tested
).
Personally, I think my most important nutritional goals are adequate protein, adequate fats (emphasis on MUFA/PUFA), and minimum 5+ (ideally 10+) servings of vegetables/fruits. I prefer whole grain (taste-wise), but get only a minority of my fiber (maybe <20%?) from grain sources. About half tends to be fruit/veg, with the rest divided between legumes (which I think of more as protein than veg), with lesser amounts from grains, nuts/seeds, and some random small contributors.1 -
suziecue25 wrote: »I have been allotted 1200 cals per day by MFP because I am female, 70, & 5ft
I'm 63 years old, also eating 1200 calories a day. I usually meet or exceed the 21g of fiber that I aim for each day. My diary is open - maybe it will provide some useful ideas for you. I don't take any supplements, but I do often eat KIND bars -- they are a nut bar with 7g of fiber. I don't know if they're available in the UK. But most of my fiber is just from whole grains, nuts, beans, and lots of veg.
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One reason fibre is THOUGHT to be important is that it is fermented into short-chain fatty acids by your gut flora. Certain SCFAs, like butyrate, may positively affect the immune system and gut health e.g. by stimulating production of regulatory T-cells, and providing energy for certain cell types in your gut wall. Lots of other interesting things too! There are plenty of other good reasons too, like avoiding diverticulitis and supposedly aiding perceived fullness, but I thought that one was cool.
I typically get 25g of fibre at least and my goal is 30g. Things that can help you: oats (!!), green vegetables, beans and pulses, bananas. I also eat fibre one bars every day, but that's for the taste.1 -
suziecue25 wrote: »What do people on here think about the importance of fibre?
I think it's important.
Eating a variety of beans and lentils, as well as veg and fruit and whole grains if you like grains is IMO important.
They have other benefits also.2 -
Fibre is very important but certainly isn't the only thing that prevents colon cancer risk. Antioxidants, found in plants, are also very important. As well as reducing, refined sugars, saturated and trans fats....
New research is also showing that resistant starch is very beneficial for digestion and colon health as well as helping to control blood sugar.
I personally started taking powdered potatoe starch and it has done wonders for my blood sugar.
P.S. if you are thinking of taking a fibre supplement, stick to natural sources like ground flax or psyillium...store bought crap like Metamucil (the orange stuff) has added ingredients that really aren't good for you.
Do you follow Tim Steele's blog? My husband and I have added RS to our diets, my husband takes it with a probiotic and has seen improvements with his IBS symptoms.
Not saying this is true for everyone, but my sister has IBS and took a fiber supplement for years, but then worked to find her problem foods (certain raw veg and avocado) and then found that she could manage without it. But if she eats any of them she has issues still.0 -
I think fiber is important, but mostly I think well-rounded nutrition is important. If I eat accordingly, fiber (for me) pretty much takes care of itself. When I briefly but mistakenly thought I should eat 1200 net calories (which turned out to be way too low for me), it looks like I was getting 20-29g fiber most days. Now, in maintenance, it's more like 30-50g most days, from food. (I prefer to get nutrients from food, when possible - it's evolution tested ).
100% agree with this, except I did 1200 + exercise for longer and it wasn't a problem for me (I'm only 5'3, however).0 -
After going back through my diary I have realised that a lot of the fibre rich food I have been logging [eg wholewheat cereal] has not had fibre entered by the person making the database entry and of course is not showing on my diary. I am now going to make sure all the fibre I am eating is logged correctly. This, as well as taking notice of the helpful comments made on this thread should put me right.6
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Fibre is very important but certainly isn't the only thing that prevents colon cancer risk. Antioxidants, found in plants, are also very important. As well as reducing, refined sugars, saturated and trans fats....
New research is also showing that resistant starch is very beneficial for digestion and colon health as well as helping to control blood sugar.
I personally started taking powdered potatoe starch and it has done wonders for my blood sugar.
P.S. if you are thinking of taking a fibre supplement, stick to natural sources like ground flax or psyillium...store bought crap like Metamucil (the orange stuff) has added ingredients that really aren't good for you.
Do you follow Tim Steele's blog? My husband and I have added RS to our diets, my husband takes it with a probiotic and has seen improvements with his IBS symptoms.
Not saying this is true for everyone, but my sister has IBS and took a fiber supplement for years, but then worked to find her problem foods (certain raw veg and avocado) and then found that she could manage without it. But if she eats any of them she has issues still.
We've been able to trace the start of his IBS symptoms back a couple years, when he had a tooth go bad and he self medicated with very high doses of ibuprofen for two weeks, before finally going into the dentist and then being put on two rounds of antibiotics/tooth pulled. This happened during a period of very high stress in his life and the combination of everything led to him developing IBS symptoms and also mild anxiety.
The stress triggers are now gone and his anxiety is thankfully under control for the most part, so now we're starting to work on restoring his gut health as much as possible. His doctor had him try several prescriptions with no luck so we're trying the pre-biotic (RS)/probiotic route now. So far we're seeing modest improvements a few weeks in, which is hopeful.1 -
I think foods containing fibre are healthful, but I think the main thing is to limit Darby foods that are highly processed and refined and don't have fibre, or much of it. Foods like soda, candy, sauces and glazes, cereals, noodles, and some baked goods have very little fibre. I think if you replace those with whole plant foods, which happen to have naturally occurring fibre, then you have a more healthy diet. Jmo.0
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suziecue25 wrote: »As usual every January here in the UK the news is full of health related topics/warnings - yesterdays topic/warning was the importance of incorporating sufficient fibre into our diets to vastly reduce the risk of stroke, bowel cancer etc. Apparently only a very small percentage of the population of the UK manage to ingest enough fibre.
I changed my MFP diary settings from sodium to fibre and was shocked to see how far I was from hitting my 21g target, even though I eat veggies, avocados, baked potatoes and whole grain bread.......I have been averaging 10g per day.
I intend to try and up my fibre now because my Mother ended up having to have a colostomy and I don't want that to happen to me.
What do people on here think about the importance of fibre?
It's very important IMO and according to the WHO. It's going to be hard to get on a low calorie diet. I can cut weight on 2300-2500 calories, so it's not a problem for me. Most vegetables, while containing a high amount of vitamins and minerals, really don't have much in the way of fibre. Whole grains, legumes, and lentils are good sources. Higher fiber fruits and vegetables would be things like apples, broccoli, brussel sprouts, etc...but they still don't compare to whole grains, legumes, and lentils...I eat a lot of those things.
I think more important is a well balanced diet rich in whole food nutrition.2
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