Incorporate Fibre Rich foods in the Diet for a Fitter you !
11-12-2015 | Posted By: Admin | 2560 View(s)
A diet consisting of fibre is necessary for the proper functioning of the body to keep the digestive system in good shape. It usually constitutes of indigestible parts of a plant which passes unchanged through the intestines. It controls cholesterol and stabilises glucose levels.
Ideally, countries that have a high fibre diet have a lesser number of people who have diabetes, bowel cancer, and heart diseases. It is found in massive proportions in vegetable, fruits, and cereals and should be included mandatory in the diet. It is often termed as bulk or roughage.
An array of Fibres to Suit Your Requirements:
Fibre is available in soluble and insoluble forms both of which are required by the body every day.
• Plant cells mostly contain the soluble fibre known as pectins, mucilage, and gums. The sources include barley, oat bran, flaxseed, dried beans, lentils, peas, vegetables, fruits and various soy products. It helps in dealing with constipation.
• It also slows down the digestion process and helps the sugar produced to get absorbed. Therefore, blood sugar levels remain constant.
• Insoluble fibre which helps to give bulk to faeces and keeps constipation at bay is found in seeds, nuts, wholegrain food, dried beans, vegetables and fruits, rice bran and similar food items. The human body needs both types of fibres for staying healthy.
• Resistant starch is a part of starchy food which refuses to get digested and is essential for the bowel movement and preventing cancer. It produces fatty acids which get absorbed in the blood and helps in bringing down the level of blood cholesterol.
Sources of fibre in the Diet!
Fibre should be included in the diet every day either as cereal or as fruits and vegetables. You can try biscuits, flour, and even whole wheat bread. Consuming whole grain cereals as breakfast is an excellent way to start the day and can increase the intake of the substance which is sometimes even advised by doctors. Wholemeal spaghetti, pasta, and brown rice are considered fibre rich food.
Additionally, various types of fibre supplements and unprocessed bran are also available which can be resorted to when advised by a doctor. Drinking water is important because fluid cannot work well without the presence of liquids. You need to drink at least two litres of water including beverages and water daily to allow the roughage to work without blocking the gut.
Increase consumption of Fibre
According to doctors, a person should consume around 18grams of fibre daily, but most manage only 14 grammes. Increasing the amount of consumption has to be done gradually because increasing it suddenly can make you feel bloated and cause a lot of wind. But it usually settles down in a week or so.
It is best to increase the food every two to three days so that the body gets ample time to get used to it. People with an irritable bowel experience worse when the intake of fibre is introduced suddenly. Soluble fibre should be increased at first.
How to increase Fibre consumption?
For a start, you can swap wholemeal bread for a white one.
• Adding extra vegetables to soups and curries is a good option.
• You can sprinkle seeds on top of soups and salads.
• While eating a fruit don’t peel the skin and have at least one portion fruit during each meal.
• Eat nuts and dried fruit for breakfasts.
• Whenever hungry try snacking on a piece of vegetable stick or a piece of fruit.
• Select food items that say that it is high in fibre content.
It is always better to draw fibre from natural products rather than depend on supplements because they can aggravate constipation. So keep munching on veggies for a healthy digestive system and a trim body.
