Dietary fiber made simple

Let's talk about fiber. Do you really need as much as doctors claim? And if so, how much? Can you eat too much fiber? Will it protect you from cancer? Are steaks from grass-fed cattle and whole eggs good sources of fiber? How the heck do I get rid of this perpetual constipation?

These are just a few examples of all the questions I get asked about fiber.

What is fiber?

Fiber is a complex carbohydrate consisting of non-starch polysaccharides, resistant starch and/or cellulose. Simply put, when you hear the term fiber, you should think of plants - more specifically vegetables, fruits and grains. Just as we have cells that give our body its structure, plants also have such cells. These plant cells contain nutrients, water and other things. There are basically two primary types of fiber, each with its own specific beneficial properties.

Soluble fiber

This type of fiber is highly resistant to being broken down by the digestive enzymes in your mouth, stomach and intestines. Vegetable gums, pectins and inulin fall into this category.

• Plant gums such as gum arabic, guar gum or locust bean gum stabilize food and extend its shelf life. They also give the food a certain texture and consistency. Probably most importantly, however, they slow down the absorption of glucose.
• Pectins differ from plant gums in terms of their structure. They are more acidic and aid the absorption of certain minerals such as zinc. Probably the best known source of pectin is apples, which are also the source of many commercially produced pectin products.
• Inulin is a so-called fructooligosaccharide (FOS for short). Inulin is a prebiotic that serves as food for the good bacteria in your digestive tract.

You will generally find soluble fiber in fruit, beans, oats, barley and some other sources. Soluble fiber is digested in some ways, but not before it reaches the small intestine where it is fermented by "good" gut bacteria that produce butyric acid and acetic acid. This helps the digestive system to maintain its acidity.

Some soluble fibers provide some energy - about two calories per gram, while others, like plant gums, are calorie-free.

What are the key benefits of soluble fiber? There are three that are worth mentioning.

The three key benefits of soluble fiber

1. stabilization of blood sugar levels

Soluble fiber increases the time it takes from food intake to food elimination and promotes slower breakdown of food. They slow down gastric emptying and the digestion of starch (and consequently the entry of glucose into the bloodstream). As glucose absorption will be slower, this can prevent fluctuations in blood sugar levels. I have even heard of people mixing guar gum with water and drinking it before meals to achieve this. If you are a diabetic, you should consider this before you think about giving up vegetables. Eating vegetables could also mean that you need less insulin.

2. reduction of LDL cholesterol levels

When short-chain fatty acids are formed as a result of the fermentation of soluble fiber, this appears to result in a reduction in levels of bad LDL cholesterol. This is good news for anyone concerned about cardiovascular disease.

3. increased protection against cancer

Fiber can bind carcinogenic substances and transport them out of the body so they can't do any harm. In addition, the fermentation of fiber into short-chain fatty acids such as acetic acid in your gut helps maintain a germ-killing acidity level in your gut.

Insoluble fiber

This type of fiber is not digested anywhere. It's basically lignin, cellulose or hemicellulose and you'll typically find this type of fiber in wheat or vegetables. Its job is simply to move food and water through the digestive system.

Unlike soluble fiber, insoluble fiber is not soluble in water. This means that it swells up like a sponge and increases the volume of the stool. This causes your stool to move faster through your intestines. There are several key benefits of insoluble fiber.

The two key benefits of insoluble fiber

1. less constipation

As insoluble fiber increases the volume of your stool, it aids elimination, resulting in less constipation. One of the most common complaints reported by dieters is constipation. If you've ever competed in a bodybuilding competition, then you know what I mean. This happens to almost everyone and can be very problematic. I would go so far as to call it a silent killer, similar to high blood pressure. There are many studies that show that eating raw bran reduces the transit time of food through the intestines. Constipation and the delayed elimination of waste products lead directly to the next point.

2. elimination of toxic waste products

If your bowel does not empty completely or if bad bacteria begin to dominate the intestinal flora, putrefaction processes occur. This means that toxic substances can be reabsorbed into the blood or other body tissues. By binding toxins and hormones, insoluble fiber is very good at keeping your gut, and therefore your body, clean. The benefit of this is that without these toxins and hormones in your gut, you are better protected against bowel disease, cancer and other ailments.

Note: You may have heard of the "fiber hypothesis". This states that a low intake of fiber can promote certain diseases such as high blood pressure, obesity, bowel disease and 30 to 40 other diseases, while a high fiber intake can protect you from all of these diseases. If you're a study junkie, check out the work of Dr. Denis Burkitt and Dr. Hugh Trowell. Their research in Africa has formed this hypothesis.

How much fiber do we need and where do we find it?

First of all, you should not rely on fiber supplements to meet your fiber needs. I believe it's best to get your fiber from a wide variety of whole foods that contain different types of fiber. One of the main benefits of fiber is the additional phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, etc. contained in these foods. This often makes studies on fiber problematic. Which of these factors helps the most? Or is it all of these things working together to prevent disease? This is a difficult question.

In terms of the amount of fiber you should consume, the usual recommendations are 25 to 35 grams per day, with some experts recommending 40 grams. It is recommended that diabetics consume more than 50 grams of fiber per day.

When determining your fiber needs, keep in mind that if you are an athlete who trains with weights, you are probably eating a lot more protein, fat, etc. than the average person for whom these recommendations are made. In all likelihood, fiber intake will be one of those things you'll have to play around with a bit before you find the right amount for you. If you're having soft bowel movements several times a day without experiencing the dinner scene from Alien, then you're probably on the right track.

Note: You may experience bloating and a bloated feeling after increasing your fiber intake. You may also experience diarrhea if you consume too much insoluble fiber (mainly in the form of bran). To avoid these problems, you should gradually increase your fiber intake!

Now that we've covered the basics of fiber, let's look at where we can find it. Here are just a few examples to get you started:

Whole grains

• Whole grain oatmeal contains a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan - a gummy, soluble fiber. Studies have shown that this type of fiber can lower cholesterol levels. Oat bran is also very popular due to its high insoluble fiber content.
• Rice bran is an interesting source of fiber. According to Dr. Ann Gerhardt, rice bran has been shown to lower levels of bad LDL cholesterol.
• Cocoa bran sounds delicious. This is the outer layer of the cocoa bean. According to Dr. David Jenkins of the University of Toronto, cocoa bran has been shown to protect against cholesterol oxidation and may increase levels of "good" HDL cholesterol.
• Konjac mannan is another interesting dietary fiber. It contains a high concentration of glucomannan. As it turns out, scientist Dr. Hsaio-Ling Chen has used this type of fiber to lower LDL cholesterol levels
• Buckwheat. I had to add this grain to the list because many people don't realize that it's not related to wheat. The beauty of it is that even by eating buckwheat flour, you get the good part of the seeds.

Pulses

Beans, lentils, peas and peanuts all belong to the legume family. Beans in particular are an excellent source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. My favorite type of beans are black-eyed beans.

I add them to rice and give this mixture the right flavor with a hot sauce with cayenne pepper. If you're worried about bloating because you're in a new relationship or work a lot with an open fire, give beans a few weeks. They contain large amounts of insoluble fiber, which is fermented in the large intestine. This is a good thing. Be patient and your intestinal flora will adapt to this.

Fruit

Pectins are common in fruit and are fermented as soluble fiber in the large intestine, where short-chain fatty acids are formed. Fruit often also contains cellulose, an insoluble fiber that contributes to the transport of food through the intestine.

Nuts

You may have heard about phytates in nuts, which are nutrients that bind certain minerals and can cause a deficiency of these minerals. Here's my take on this: as part of a well-balanced diet, this is nothing that should give you sleepless nights. If you are still worried, I recommend soaking the nuts until they start to sprout and then drying them again. The germination process breaks down phytates into inositol and phosphate and you are on the safe side.

Seeds

I should also mention some seeds. Flax seeds are very high in fiber, providing 7 grams per tablespoon, and also contain a portion of lignan (the insoluble fiber type), which studies have shown may protect against cancer. Sesame seeds are also very popular, but are also affected by the phytate problem. As I said, I wouldn't worry about this, especially as there is clear evidence that phytates may also protect against cancer.

Vegetables

The first thing people usually associate with fiber is vegetables - and with good reason. My favorites are spinach, kale, asparagus and broccoli.

Every good nutrition article needs a table to help you better understand the information presented. Here is the table for this article:

Source	Portion	Fiber substances	Notes
fruit
apple	1 piece	4	Good source of pectin
Avocado	1 piece	8
Banana	1 piece	3	Contains FOS and inulin, food for the good bacteria
Blueberries	1 cup	4	Very high ORAC value and good for the brain
Dried figs	5 figs	9	Have laxative and diuretic properties.
Kiwi	1 piece	3	Excellent source of vitamin C
Papaya	1 piece	5	Excellent source of the digestive enzyme papain.
Pineapple	1 cup	2	Good source of bromelain
Plums	10 pieces	1,6
Raspberries	1 cup	8	Good source of fiber
Strawberries	1 cup	3	Good source of the anti-cancer nutrient ellagic acid
Whole grains (cooked)
Brown rice	1 cup	4
Buckwheat	1 cup	17	Whole grain pancakes are delicious.
Quinoa	1/4 cup	3
Oat bran	1/3 cup	2	High amount of insoluble fiber.
Oat flakes	1/2 cup	2
Vegetables (cooked)
Artichokes	1 cup	2	Good source of inulin
Asparagus	4 pieces	1	Mild diuretic effect. Good source of inulin
Green beans	1 cup	4
Broccoli	1 cup	4	The stalks are a good source of cellulose.
Cabbage	1 cup	3
Raw onion	1 cup	2	Good source of inulin
Mushrooms	1 cup	4
Baked potato	1 piece	5	Half of the vitamin C is in the skin
Spinach	1 cup	4	Good source of cellulose and pectin
Legumes (cooked)
Kidney beans	1/2 cup	6,5
Pinto beans	1/2 cup	7
lentils	1/2 cup	8	Greens contain the most fiber. Rich in folate
Black-eyed beans	1/2 cup	7	Delicious with rice and hot sauce
Nuts (dried)
Almonds	30 g	4	Good source of monounsaturated fats
Cashews	30 g	1
Brazil nuts	30 g	1.5	Good source of selenium.
Pistachios	30 g	3
Walnuts	30 g	2	Good source of omega-3 fatty acids

Further notes

• If you think you can treat constipation just by adding fruit to your diet, you're wrong. Most of the fiber in fruit is soluble fiber, which is broken down in the intestines and does not have the bulking effect of fiber from cereals like wheat bran.
• You should be very careful with fiber if you suffer from an intestinal disease such as Crohn's disease. Large amounts of fiber can aggravate this disease.
• It is possible that even a perfect diet will not solve all constipation problems.
• Drink lots of water!
• Move, exercise. When I was in the hospital, a digestive system went into a kind of deep sleep after my surgery in the digestive tract area. The doctors made me walk around constantly to wake up my digestive system.

What else can you do to ensure regular bowel movements?

These things support a faster transit time of food through your digestive tract, which can help. alleviate problems with constipation.

Conclusion

If you're new to iron sports, then all you want to learn is the training side of the equation, which includes sets, reps and exercises. You know, the stuff that's fun. But as you slowly progress from white belt, to yellow belt, to blue belt, you'll soon learn that the nutrition side of the equation is just as important, if not more so, to your bodybuilding success.

Going beyond good nutrition means striving for long-term health and vitality. Even if they're not sexy or exciting - what, fiber isn't exciting? - issues that prioritize health are probably the most important of all. Because even the strongest, most muscular body on stage or at the beach can be a ticking time bomb if you don't take care to keep your health markers in the green.

This is the next level of enlightenment when you enter into a long-term relationship with iron, a solid bodybuilding diet and lifestyle practices that promote continued good health and vitality. This is when you reach black belt. That's the level I hope all readers aspire to.