What are the two sides of dietary fiber?

Dietary fiber is known as the “seventh nutrient” of human beings, which can not only enhance intestinal peristalsis, but also help the normal operation of the digestive system. It also inhibits the absorption of cholesterol, which can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
However, with the improvement of living standards, food refinement, too finished products, etc., have made our residents’ dietary fiber intake is seriously insufficient! Therefore, in daily life, we are often advised to “eat more coarse grains, eat more grains, and eat beans”, but some people often eat more, or even eat every meal, thinking that it is healthier.
But dietary fiber actually has “two sides”…
Dietary fiber has “two sides” eating more and eating less is not good
The right amount of dietary fiber has many benefits, but too much in a short period of time can also cause health problems.
1.1 Can help excretion, may also cause constipation or diarrhea
Dietary fiber can shorten the residence time of food in the intestine, increase the volume of stool, stimulate intestinal peristalsis, increase the number of defecation, and play a role in preventing constipation.
However, if you just blindly ingest and neglect to drink enough water, insufficient water may lead to more congestion in the intestine, making defecation difficult. This phenomenon is mainly due to eating more soluble fiber (fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, legumes) is more common.
When you consume too much insoluble fiber such as wheat, corn bran, and brown rice, it will stimulate the intestines to speed up the emptying of food, and may cause opposite symptoms, such as diarrhea and loose stools.
1.2 can help remove waste, but also can hinder nutrient absorption
Dietary fiber can help to excrete metabolic waste, and even wrap some toxic and harmful substances such as heavy metals out of the body to prevent the absorption of harmful substances by the human body.
In addition, foods high in dietary fiber, like various grains, seeds, etc., tend to be high in phytic acid, which is one of the “antinutrients” that can bind to certain essential minerals (especially calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc) and reduce their absorption from food.
For example, if you eat black beans and zinc-rich oysters together, the body may absorb half as much zinc as when you eat oysters alone, because of the phytic acid in black beans.
Not only that, phytic acid also inhibits digestive enzymes such as amylase, trypsin, and pepsin, reducing the efficiency of food digestion.
1.3 Can nourish the stomach, can also hurt the stomach
Dietary fiber as the gastrointestinal “scavenger”, can reduce metabolic waste damage to the stomach, play a protective role.
However, because cellulose can not be digested and decomposed in the human body, too much cellulose will not only lead to prolonged gastric emptying time, easily cause gastric acid reflux, and cause “corrosion” of the stomach and esophagus. It may also cause intestinal obstruction or even intestinal obstruction.
In addition, if the one-time intake of too much hard insoluble coarse fiber, will cause excessive mechanical friction to the gastric mucosa, easy to cause stomach bleeding and other symptoms.
Dietary fiber is the right way to eat
To reap the benefits of dietary fiber, we need to understand and consume it properly:
2.1 Soluble and insoluble dietary fiber have different functions

① Soluble dietary fiber reduces cholesterol and balances intestinal flora

Soluble dietary fiber, which absorbs water to form a gel-like substance inside the digestive system, and combines with substances such as cholesterol and sugar, thereby preventing or slowing their absorption into the blood, playing a role in regulating blood sugar levels and lowering cholesterol.
In addition, soluble dietary fiber can enhance the sense of satiety after water absorption, which is conducive to weight control. One study showed that eating 10 grams of soluble fiber per day reduced belly fat by 4% in participants over a five-year period.
Moreover, soluble dietary fiber is also more likely to be fermented by intestinal bacteria, and induce probiotics to multiply, which is related to improving immunity, anti-inflammatory effects, and even improving mood.
Main sources: fruits, vegetables, konjac, algin, etc.

② Insoluble dietary fiber, help defecation

Insoluble dietary fiber, which is not broken down by the intestine and absorbed into the bloodstream. When it absorbs water, it increases the volume of stool and stimulates intestinal motility, thus helping to maintain regular bowel movements and preventing constipation.
Main source: Often found in the roots, stems, skins, leaves, fruits of plants, such as wheat bran, cereal, brown rice, oats and other content.
2.2 Principle of moderation

① Control total quantity

The recommended daily intake of dietary fiber for adults is 25-30g. These specific daily meals include:
* Whole grain 50~150g per day: such as corn, brown rice, oats, rye, barley, millet, black rice, Job’s tears, quinoa and so on.
* Potatoes a day intake of 50~100g: such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro, yam.
* Eat 300 ~ 500 grams of vegetables every day; 200-400 grams of fruit per day.
* Various beans 25~35g: such as: red beans, black beans, mung beans, peas, chickpeas, etc.

② Eat gradually

A short period of sudden increase in dietary fiber intake, the body is not adapted to easily cause discomfort.
A more modest approach is to increase your dietary fiber intake by 3 to 4 grams per week for about 3 to 4 weeks to reach the recommended daily amount of dietary fiber.
In addition, when ingesting dietary fiber, you should drink more water.
2.3 Special people should eat less dietary fiber
For obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and other people, eating more dietary fiber can control health conditions and is good for the body, but for the following people, it is necessary to control the amount and eat less appropriately:
People with weak digestive systems, including the elderly and children; Or people with digestive diseases, such as cirrhosis of the liver, stomach ulcers, and intestinal obstruction.
② People with kidney disease: potassium and phosphorus in coarse grains are high, and excessive consumption may affect kidney function.
(3) Calcium deficiency, iron: phytic acid and food fiber in coarse grains can be combined with calcium to precipitate, thereby affecting the absorption of calcium, iron, etc., to eat less.
④ Manual workers and teenagers: the energy requirements are relatively high, and coarse grains provide less energy, it is not recommended to supplement coarse grains too much.
⑤ Patients recovering from serious illness and recovering from major surgery should not eat coarse grains, which hinder the absorption of nutrients.