Hello! I am Liu Jian
Today is the 569th issue that Jian Ge said to accompany you
Dietary fiber, I believe that everyone is not unfamiliar with this term, nutrition experts remind the diet that the intake of dietary fiber should be increased, then, do you know what dietary fiber is, what is its role? In this issue, let's talk about it.
Dietary fiber is a polysaccharide
Recently, the Chinese Nutrition Society released the latest "Dietary Fiber Expert Consensus"[1], the definition of dietary fiber is updated as: naturally occurring in plants, extracted from plants or directly synthesized polymerization degree≥3, edible, can not be digested and absorbed by the human small intestine, carbohydrates of health significance to the human body polymer.
In general, the rough texture of plant foods, which is not easy to chew and digest, contains dietary fiber. As can be seen from the above definition, dietary fiber is a carbohydrate, according to the classification, dietary fiber and starch are polysaccharides, however, unlike starch polysaccharides, because dietary fiber can not be digested and absorbed by the human small intestine, it was once considered a substance without nutrients. In fact, dietary fiber can be said to be a "superior student" in carbohydrates, with the development of nutrition and other sciences, people have gradually found that dietary fiber has an important physiological effect on the human body, at present, the nutrition community will be dietary fiber is the human body must be the seventh type of nutrients.
Dietary fiber is good for health
Dietary fiber mostly comes from the cell wall of plants, and after entering the human body, it can neither be digested and absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract nor can it produce energy. This food ingredient, which is neither digestible nor energy-producing, is good for health.
A previous meta-analysis published in the journal Lancet, which brought together 185 forward-looking studies and 58 clinical trials, analyzed data from nearly 5,000 adults and found that all-cause mortality and the incidence of cardiovascular-related disease mortality, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and colorectal cancer decreased by 15 to 30 percent when compared between the highest and lowest populations with the highest and lowest dietary fiber intake. Moreover, the more dietary fiber intake, the lower the weight, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol levels. Researchers have pointed out that the daily dietary fiber intake reaches 25 to 29 grams, and the reduction in the risk of various diseases is the most obvious, and if the daily intake exceeds 29 grams, it will bring better results [2].
Studies have found that dietary fiber intake can reduce energy intake and help prevent obesity, soluble dietary fiber can also regulate blood sugar and blood lipids, thereby benefiting cardiovascular health, in addition, dietary fiber can also alleviate constipation symptoms, beneficial to intestinal health.
How to increase dietary fiber intake
Mainland dietary guidelines recommend that the recommended daily amount of dietary fiber be 25 to 30 grams (halved for those with weak digestion). However, the dietary fiber intake of mainland residents is generally insufficient, with a daily per capita intake of insoluble dietary fiber of only 11 g, and less than 5% of people who reach the recommended intake [3].
In recent years, there has also been a trend of carbohydrate withdrawal, and some people have strictly controlled the intake of carbohydrates in order to gain muscle and lose weight, or even not eat staple foods at all. In fact, this is not necessary, on the contrary, at this time, it is more important to increase the intake of dietary fiber. You can get dietary fiber from foods like whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. You can do this by:
1) Add whole grains or beans to staple foods, such as brown rice, oats, chickpeas, red adzuki beans, mung beans, etc. You can also eat bread, pasta or biscuits made from whole grains.
2) Add vegetables and beans to each meal, especially fungi, such as fresh shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, fungus, etc., in addition to peas, lentils, garlic, asparagus, etc.
3) There are also many dietary fibers in fruits, such as apples, oranges, strawberries, etc., the elderly and children can be steamed and then eaten, will not reduce dietary fiber, but it is not recommended to drink fruit juice.
4) You can also eat a handful of nuts when you are leisure, such as large almonds, black sesame seeds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, etc.
However, dietary fiber should not be consumed too much, otherwise it will cause gastrointestinal burden, causing bloating, indigestion and other problems. Therefore, the elderly, children and other people with weak digestive ability should cook foods rich in dietary fiber until soft and rotten before eating.
Brother Jian said
Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate that occurs naturally in plants, is extracted from plants, or synthesized directly.
Studies have found that dietary fiber helps prevent obesity, regulate blood sugar and blood lipids, and benefit intestinal health and other health benefits.
Everyday life can get the right amount of dietary fiber from foods such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits and nuts.
Today's content is finished, and the next issue is more exciting.
Heart health knowledge is in "Jian Ge Says Heart"
We'll see you next time.
"On the Heart" - Medicine, Health and Lifestyle of the Heart
Works by Professor Liu Jian