It’s no secret that fiber is an essential ingredient of a healthy diet – and researchers have found another reason to fill your plate with roughage. A recent study published in the American Society for Microbiology found that increasing the dietary intake for a short period of time can have a major impact on the digestive system.
Graduates of the University of California, Irvine (UCI) are instructed to drink ten high-fiber, unprocessed meals each week – averaging a total of 25 grams of fiber per day – along with their own collection of stool samples to detect their intestinal microbial composition. At the end of the 14-day experiment, the professors discover that the students’ intestinal flora has’ significantly changed ‘, which includes an increase in a group of beneficial bacteria Bifidobacterium.
“At this time during a pandemic, when we need our immune health and healthy vaccine responses, we encourage everyone to think about the plant diversity of their diets and to add beans, berries and avocados where they can,” said Katrine Whiteson. , an associate professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at the UCI Microbiome Initiative, in a press release.
The authors of the study noted that the average North American consumes about less than 50% of the recommended fiber levels, while the dietary guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 labeled fiber as one of the “nutritional components of public health for the public.” general American population. ” (Related: The 7 Healthiest Foods You Can Eat Now).
“Lack of fiber means that the gut microbiome is not optimized and that research understands all the countless health consequences associated with the gut microbiome, including your immune system,” said Julie Upton, MS, RD, founder of the nutritional marketing. and communications company AFH Consulting.
How much fiber should you eat daily?
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends women consume about 25 grams of fiber per day, and men consume about 38 grams (or 14 grams per 1000 calories) daily. Since dietary fiber is found in plant foods, Upton adds that the reason most Americans have a limited intake of fiber is due to the high consumption of processed meals and the low consumption of fruits and vegetables. She also points out a possible pitfall that can occur if you have a lover of a low-carb lifestyle.
‘People who follow low-carbohydrate diets can often gain protein and fat and forget that the foundation of the healthiest carbohydrate plans, such as an Atkins 100 plan, is based on vegetables – not a lot of meat and other animal proteins, “she says.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests making high-fiber food substitutions, such as choosing steel-cut oats over a bowl of sugar pomegranate and choosing whole-grain pasta instead of white pasta. In addition, the academy recommends adding more high-fiber fruits, including raspberries and pears, and vegetables like peas and broccoli to your plate.
“Conserving fiber can have serious long-term health consequences,” adds Upton. Here are five reasons why you may want to make fiber your friend, and then do not miss 9 warning signs that you are not eating enough fiber.
If your diet does not have fiber, you may experience …
If your fiber intake increases, the scale is likely to decrease. One study published in the Journal of Nutrition investigated the effects that fiber had on shedding unwanted kilograms among participants who restricted a calorie-restricted eating plan for six months. Even when compared to other macronutrients, including ‘good’ fats (such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids), dietary fiber has promoted weight loss, as well as helping overweight and obese volunteers to stick to their healthier lifestyles.
“It’s simple – fiber keeps you fuller longer and reduces cravings for carbohydrates,” says Upton.
Yes, your gut health may be related to your emotional state. Medical researchers from the North American Menopause Association (NAMS) have investigated possible links between dietary fiber and women of different ages and life stages. The study, which involved more than 5,800 women, was published in the journal Menopause, discovered that the risk of depression by women before menopause can be affected by their fiber consumption.
Although further research is needed, the researchers believe that fiber promotes a diverse intestinal microbiome, which in turn can produce neurotransmitters. Why postmenopausal women have not benefited from this gut-brain interaction, the authors believe the answer lies in estrogen depletion, as estrogen is a factor in the balance of the gut microbiota.
“Nevertheless, it has never been so true that ‘you are what you eat’, as what we eat has a profound effect on the gut microbiome which seems to play a key role in health and disease,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director, in a press release.
In a meta-analysis examining the results of 18 studies, authors from the University of Cambridge noted that the volunteers who consumed the most fiber – mostly grains and vegetables –every day (average 26 grams) reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 18% compared to those who consume a small amount of fiber (19 grams or less). However, when the researchers added the body mass index (BMI) to the comparison, fiber no longer made a difference, leading experts to believe that fiber could be associated with maintaining a healthy body weight, which plays a key role play to ward off diabetes.
“Fiber slows the release of blood sugar into the bloodstream, which helps keep your energy levels more stable over time,” adds Upton.
Researchers from Europe analyzed an impressive amount of data – 185 observational studies and 58 clinical trials spanning a period of 40 years – involving healthy adults. They applied to premature deaths due to multiple conditions, including cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, as well as cardiovascular events such as stroke, and calculated that every 8 grams of fiber increase daily to 5-27% a reduced chance of suffering from (or dying from) to) coronary heart disease, including possibly fatal diseases.
“Fiber helps catch and excrete unhealthy cholesterol, so this is one of the reasons why people on a high-fiber diet have a lower risk of heart disease,” says Upton.
While eating more high-fiber foods means driving more to the bathroom, it can also be a sign of more birthday cakes in your future. In an article published in The Journals of Gerontology using data from more than 1,600 adults over 50, Australian medical researchers found that fiber intake had the strongest effect on successful aging – a term that describes not being diagnosed with functional disability, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment , respiratory symptoms, and chronic diseases (including cancer).
‘In essence, we found that those with the highest fiber intake or total fiber were actually had an almost 80% greater probability of leading a long and healthy life during a ten-year follow-up,“said Bamini Gopinath, PhD, lead study author, in a press release.
Also look according to science One surprising side effect of eating more fiber.