Nutrition Fiber

[Chrisdavisjr]

If you asked me what my single biggest disappointment with getting older was, it would be that my body no longer likes having sweets.

If that's your single biggest disappointment, you're doing really well.

 

[Waryrenn]

Only this forum can make a discussion about dietary fibre so thought provoking!

 

[Snowman]

My gut* tells me that fiber is just one of a variety of factors that modify the interaction between us and that which we put in our face. On a whole food plant based diet, one tends to get a lot of fiber. That's probably good. On a whole food animal based diet, one tends to not get much fiber at all. That's probably also good. I can't imagine much good coming from a eating a fiber supplemented carnivore diet, and I think we can pretty clearly say that a fiber-devoid plant based diet is not doing anybody any favors (Hint: look at the % calories coming from carbohydrate and plant oils in the SAD).

*yes, I went there

Edit: I don't know, but strongly suspect, that our GI moti will get used to whatever amount of roughage we give it on a regular basis. If you take in significantly more or less fiber than usual, and have a negative experience, I don't know how much that actually tells you. Kind of like a sedentary person working out and assuming it must be bad for them because they're sore. Maybe it is bad, but maybe it's just something that you can adapt to.

 

[Neuro-Bob]

Kind of like a sedentary person working out and assuming it must be bad for them because they're sore. Maybe it is bad, but maybe it's just something that you can adapt to.

This is a very unique but clear example, and an interesting thought. With all dietary stuff there is always an adaptation period anyway, and several people have probably quit before fully adapting to whatever simply because THAT was too hard...

 

[Snowman]

@Neuro-Bob I try to come up with simple heuristics that I can apply to things, but adaptation effects are tricky. If something makes you feel good right away, it's probably good, but you have to look out for hangovers and dependence. If something makes you feel bad right away, that doesn't really tell you much about whether it's good or bad. You have to wait a bit and see. Unless it makes you feel really bad, then it's probably bad.
Not much of heuristic. A little too long to put on a T-shirt

 

[Dekapon]

The lifesaving food 90% aren’t eating enough of
Here is a good article about fibre with words like:

-"This research confirms that fibre and whole-grain intakes are clearly important for longer term health."

And also contains words like "Professor from University of Cambridge " , "World Health Organisation", "Lancet Medical Journal".

 

[Dekapon]

and another thing..!

I did some further reading. There is not just one type of fibre. Just as you can't call omega-3, transfat, coconut fat, silicongrease for "Fat" and claim that eating fat makes you sick.
Here's a list of some common fibres:

Food with "added fibre" usually only has inulin added. A little inulin is good for you , to much and you can get diarrhea or other gastric problems. Stuff like ready made smoothies, "sausage", cookies, "low fat" ice cream, cereals like rice krispies and many dietary products all have "fibre" in them, but only inulin.
If you eat natural inulin from vegetables, whole grains and legumes and fruit it's almost impossible to eat to much inulin.

"Inulin" also goes by names like: Beta(2-1)fructans, Chicory Extract, Chicory Inulin, Dahlia Extract, Dahlia Inulin, Extrait de Chicorée, Extrait de Dahlia, Inulina, Inuline, Inuline de Chicorée, Inuline de Dahlia, Long-chain Oligosaccharides, Oligosaccharides, Prebiotic, . Fruktooligosackarid, Oligosackarid, Cikoria extrakt, Chicory Fibre, Cikoriarotfibre, Fructan.

Comes down to this. Natural foods have a lot of different healthy fibres in them, stuff that comes ready made with additives isn't good for you.

So eat things like whole wheat flatbread, mashed avocado, toasted chickpeas, onions and salad for lunch and oatmeal with fresh fruit and nuts for breakfast a few times a week and you're on your way to a healty gut.
Or eat fabricated ready made meals with added high-fructose corn syrup, palm oil , inulin, xantan gum, silicone dioxide, coloring and to much salt and complain that "carbs and fibre" gets you cancer, ibs and death.

sources:
Magen i uppror av tillsatta fibrer | SvD (In Swedish),
wikipedia
Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits

 

[Anna C]

I did some further reading. There is not just one type of fibre. Just as you can't call omega-3, transfat, coconut fat, silicongrease for "Fat" and claim that eating fat makes you sick.
Here's a list of some common fibres:

Wow, fascinating! Thanks @Dekapon

A year or two ago I read the book "The Good Gut" and it does a great job of explaining how complex and important the gut microbiome is and how much it likes fiber. I don't remember if they went into different types of fiber but I'll go back and read it again.

 

[Dekapon]

@Anna C
Thanks!
I wouldn't be surprised if that book doesn't mention all the different fibres. Science about "normal food" and the human body doesn't always take into account the Billion dollar-health food industry and what they are willing to do to make money.
You really don't have to know all the different fibres as long as you eat "normal food", you get all of them at once in a delicious colorful organic package.

It's like protein, there are many different kinds of amino acids the body needs, all of them protein, and you get all of them by just eating healthy food.

It's really interesting to read about gut bacteria and how it can affect things like depression, fatigue and even autism.
How bacteria are changing your mood

 

[Neuro-Bob]

and another thing..!

I did some further reading. There is not just one type of fibre. Just as you can't call omega-3, transfat, coconut fat, silicongrease for "Fat" and claim that eating fat makes you sick.
Here's a list of some common fibres:

Food with "added fibre" usually only has inulin added. A little inulin is good for you , to much and you can get diarrhea or other gastric problems. Stuff like ready made smoothies, "sausage", cookies, "low fat" ice cream, cereals like rice krispies and many dietary products all have "fibre" in them, but only inulin.
If you eat natural inulin from vegetables, whole grains and legumes and fruit it's almost impossible to eat to much inulin.

"Inulin" also goes by names like: Beta(2-1)fructans, Chicory Extract, Chicory Inulin, Dahlia Extract, Dahlia Inulin, Extrait de Chicorée, Extrait de Dahlia, Inulina, Inuline, Inuline de Chicorée, Inuline de Dahlia, Long-chain Oligosaccharides, Oligosaccharides, Prebiotic, . Fruktooligosackarid, Oligosackarid, Cikoria extrakt, Chicory Fibre, Cikoriarotfibre, Fructan.

Comes down to this. Natural foods have a lot of different healthy fibres in them, stuff that comes ready made with additives isn't good for you.

So eat things like whole wheat flatbread, mashed avocado, toasted chickpeas, onions and salad for lunch and oatmeal with fresh fruit and nuts for breakfast a few times a week and you're on your way to a healty gut.
Or eat fabricated ready made meals with added high-fructose corn syrup, palm oil , inulin, xantan gum, silicone dioxide, coloring and to much salt and complain that "carbs and fibre" gets you cancer, ibs and death.

sources:
Magen i uppror av tillsatta fibrer | SvD (In Swedish),
wikipedia
Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits

Very interesting! Especially about Inulin being the only fiber typically added.

Another reduction to “eat stuff as close to its natural and safe form as possible and you should have it all covered.”

 

[North Coast Miller]

If you get some of your fiber (and carbs) from legumes, it has an insulin blunting/blood glucose lowering effect from the resistant starches. Not only effects the response if eaten at the same time, but the next time you eat high glycemic index foods it is still active. The effect can last for hours/overnight.

 

[Harald Motz]

lots of theory in here, this is how I put it into breakfast practice:


this is a bowl of whole grain muesli mixed with my home made kefir. It is of sweet sour taste and better than with milk. With a satiating breakfast I can get around 300g of fiber rich muesli with 1liter of probiotic kefir.

the kefir grains that I got from fairment.de are living organisms consisting of
Bacteria:

and Yeasts:

I guess there are some micro little friends who like some fiber.

 

[LukeV]

lots of theory in here, this is how I put it into breakfast practice:

View attachment 7839
this is a bowl of whole grain muesli mixed with my home made kefir.

That must be good for you because it looks awful. No offence intended lol

 

[deviant]

Fiber is one of those things that get more attention than they deserve. In sort, fiber does not prevent cancer or atherosclerosis. On the other hand, it is not particularly harmful in amounts normal person gets with normal food.

So, if you like fiber for some reason - say helps you bowel movements - enjoy. But don't agonize if you "don't get enough of it".