Nutrition Information |
|
||
A Background to Dietary Fiber
Fiber is the part of the plant that is resistant to hydrolysis (A chemical decomposition in which a substance is split into simpler compounds by the addition or the taking up of the elements of water) by human digestive enzymes and, with the exception of lignin, fibers are complex carbohydrates. These include pectin, gums, mucilages, hemicellulose, polysaccharides cellulose, and nonpolysaccharide lignins. Fibers are water-soluble except cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, all of which form part of cell walls. Soluble fibers are sticky and combine with water to form gel-like substances. Pectin is a water-soluble fiber found in soft fruits and vegetables. Gums that are common food additives are also water-soluble, found in stems and seeds of some tropical plants. In general, fruits are higher in pectin and vegetables are higher in cellulose. Although cellulose and hemicellulose are not hydrolyzed, intestinal bacterial can digest some fiber to produce lipid fragments known as short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids are absorbed in the colon and yield energy when metabolized. Water Insoluble fibers pass through the gastrointestinal track unchanged, absorbing up to 15 times their weight, important since they provide the digestive tract with 'bulk' that helps facilitate food through the intestines to be evacuated as solid waste; hence, fiber often is called "nature's natural laxative". Cellulose's ability to absorb water produces softer stools and regular bowel movements. Also, insoluble fiber may prevent colon and rectal cancer and help to control diverticulosis (A sac or pouch in the walls of a canal or organ [e.g., GI tract] that becomes inflamed and causes pain and stagnation of feces. Source: The American Dietetic Association's Complete Food & Nutrition Guide, p. 145). Water-soluble fiber, as found in beans, fruit, and oat bran lowers cholesterol by binding to the cholesterol found in liver bile, to help control diabetes. Overall, dietary fiber does not provide much nourishment to the human diet because of the inability to break down these carb sources for energy, yet reduces available kcalories by providing a sense of satiety and by absorbing some nutrients including fat. However, fiber also absorbs and eliminates essential fatty acids, food substances that are essential for good health and energy metabolism. Also, dietary fiber may be a detoxifier since it binds with some toxic substances before elimination. But a diet extremely high in fiber is not a good idea since it impairs calcium, iron, and zinc absorption in the intestine. Increasing fiber should be a gradual process since the majority of fiber products may cause unpleasant bloating, cramps, gas, and other symptoms - especially if they are eaten in large amounts at once. It is best to add one high fiber food at each eating session to judge whether the food causes symptoms or not. For instance, some people who have problems with brown rice may not have problems with apples, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, or other sources of similar fiber. Many nutrition authorities estimate that 20-35 grams of fiber daily is a desirable intake for the average individual. Note that the amount of nutrients can vary in wheat products since the refining of grains remove part of the seed (e.g., bran, endosperm, and germ). Here are some fiber-rich sources: 1 ounce dry-roasted peanuts: 2.2 g Here are different sources of fiber and their uses in the body: CELLULOSE: Fruit legumes, nuts, oat bran, seeds, whole grains, and vegetables. Adds bulk to stool to reduce constipation; oat bran lowers cholesterol; may help control blood sugar; helps weight loss by displacing kcalories. GUMS: Algae, barley, fruits, legumes, oats, seaweed, seeds, and vegetables. Adds bulk to stool to reduce constipation; may lower blood cholesterol; helps control blood sugar; helps weight loss by displacing kcalories. HEMICELLULOSE: Fruits, legumes, nuts, oat bran, seeds, whole grains, and vegetables. Adds bulk to stool to reduce constipation; oat bran lowers cholesterol; may help control blood sugar; helps weight loss by displacing kcalories. LIGNINS: Woody parts of bran, fruit skins, nuts, seeds, whole grains and vegetables. Adds bulk to stool to reduce constipation; may lower blood cholesterol; may help control blood sugar; helps weight loss by displacing kcalories. MUCILAGES: Plant seeds and secretions. Adds bulk to stool to reduce constipation; may lower blood cholesterol; helps control blood sugar; helps weight loss by displacing kcalories. PECTINS: Algae, barley, fruits, legumes, oats, seaweed, seeds, and vegetables. Adds bulk to stool to reduce constipation; may lower blood cholesterol; helps control blood sugar; helps weight loss by displacing kcalories. You may publish this article in your newsletter, on your web site, or other publications, so long as the article's content is not altered and the resource box is included. Add byline and active link. Notification of the use of this article is appreciated, but not required. Brian D. Johnston is the Director of Education and President of the I.A.R.T. fitness certification and education institute. He has written over 12 books and is a contributing author to the Merck Medical Manual. An international lecturer, Mr. Johnston wears many hats in the fitness and health industries, and can be reached at [email protected]. Visit his site at http://www.ExerciseCertification.com for more free articles.
Look For
MORE RESOURCES: Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis The Associated Press Owners selling vacation rentals from under guests is a growing problem The Seattle Times New era of policing vacation rentals in Santa Cruz County pushes complaints, violations into public view Lookout Santa Cruz The Meteoric Rise and Spectacular Fall of the Queen of Airbnb Business Insider Vacation Rentals on Business Trips? Who Gets the Best Airline Seat? Skift Travel News City of Jacksonville Beach calls for short-term rental bill veto FirstCoastNews.com WTLV-WJXX Google Clarifies Vacation Rental Structured Data Search Engine Journal Vacation Rentals: How to Make Your Stay Sustainable The New York Times Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis ABC News Vacation Rental Market To Reach USD 128.9 Billion By 2032, Report By DataHorizzon Research GlobeNewswire Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis Hamilton Spectator In the Public Interest: New era of policing vacation rentals in Santa Cruz County pushes complaints, violations into ... Lookout Santa Cruz Morning Lookout: Vacation rental crackdown, Highway 1 construction, Mentone's next phase Lookout Santa Cruz 34 Gorgeous Beach House Rentals Around the World | Condé Nast Traveler Condé Nast Traveler State legislation stalls movement on Pinellas vacation rental regulations ABC Action News Tampa Bay St. Petersburg, Pinellas County seek to rein in short-term rentals Tampa Bay Newspapers Vacation rentals bill blasted: Commissioners get an earful over proposed TAR regulations West Hawaii Today Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis Jackson Hole News&Guide Lookout PM: High school sports roundup, police make arrest in DeLaveaga Park area stabbing, vacation rental policing ... Lookout Santa Cruz Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis goskagit.com Pikl Launches Flexible Cancellation Product Fintech Finance Green Won't Issue Vacation Rental Moratorium For Maui Honolulu Civil Beat As vacation rentals eat up housing in South Florida, controlling them might become harder | Opinion Miami Herald Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis KVIA Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis Times Daily Ask Amy: Family friends poach vacation rental Chicago Tribune These Are the Top 10 Vacation Rentals on Vrbo for 2024 Travel + Leisure UPDATE: Short-Term Vacation Rental rules up for potential changes resolution pulled from Hamilton County ... Local 3 News A Statewide Ban On Vacation Rentals? The Idea Is Gaining Steam After The Maui Fires Honolulu Civil Beat Lawmakers passed bill to shift control of vacation rentals to state Tallahassee Democrat Future of vacation rentals bill uncertain despite passage WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm Local leaders have a short-term rental conundrum St Pete Catalyst 5 Desired Features for Vacation Rentals Real Estate Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis Bowling Green Daily News The effort to get the FL governor to veto short-term vacation rental bill accelerates • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis MSN Hamilton County Commission to consider ban on vacation rentals in neighborhoods Chattanooga Times Free Press 4 Perfect Vrbo Vacation Rentals at the Delaware Beaches Delaware Today Vacation rental bill is headed to uncertainty Honolulu Star-Advertiser Florida vacation rental murder highlights danger of 'massive, unregulated' industry: lawyer Fox News Pikl launches insurance-backed flexible cancellation product Short Term Rentalz This Is When You Should Book Your Summer Holiday Vacation Rental, According to Vrbo Travel + Leisure Some Florida mayors are getting testy about a contentious vacation rental bill • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix Senator wants uniform standards for short-term vacation rentals, but it seems to be a tough sell • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix This year's version of a short-term vacation rental bill now goes to the full House • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix Florida's Vacation Rental Bill awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis' review. St. Augustine Record Deadly Fort Lauderdale shooting spotlights concerns over vacation rentals bill - NBC 6 South Florida Deadly Fort Lauderdale shooting spotlights concerns over vacation rentals bill NBC 6 South Florida Big Island Lawmakers Attempt To Rein In Short-Term Vacation Rentals Honolulu Civil Beat Bill Allowing Hawaiʻi Counties To Phase Out Vacation Rentals Gets Senate Hearing Big Island Video News Hawaii Legislature Mulls Ban on Vacation Rentals Fodor's Travel Court Says Nantucket Can’t Ignore Zoning Laws on Vacation Rentals The Provincetown Independent Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis WPLG Local 10 Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis MSN 100+ Best Summer Vacation Rentals to Book Now Condé Nast Traveler Bills could force short-term vacation rentals into long-term housing for Maui residents KITV Honolulu 10 Best Vacation Rentals in Dallas of 2024 TravelAwaits Lawmakers pass state regulations on short-term vacation rentals; how will it play out? Florida Politics Green Bay area vacation rentals ask $10,000 a night for 2025 NFL draft Green Bay Press Gazette State lawmakers advancing short-term vacation rental measure News 13 Orlando Regulation of vacation rentals varies among counties Honolulu Star-Advertiser The Hottest Spots to Own a Vacation Rental Real Estate This affluent Bay Area county may put hard limit on vacation rentals for first time San Francisco Chronicle Short-term vacation rental bill passes in FL Senate, but regulations on the issue remain unsettled • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix Best Greater Palm Springs Area Vacation Rentals to Book Palm Springs Life The latest version of a vacation rental bill gets its first hearing in Tallahassee • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix Best Vacation Rentals in Arizona TravelAwaits Marin County passes new rules limiting vacation rentals San Francisco Chronicle |
RELATED ARTICLES
Constipation Cures Exposed! If you're suffering from constipation, you are no doubt looking for some answers to bring relief. Treatments for constipation vary with the type of constipation from which you're suffering. Maximizing Your Nutrition Dollar Because of consumer demand, the food industry focus is on producing fruits and vegetables that ship well, not nutrient content. How food is stored and processed has an impact on nutrition. Are You Lactose Intolerant? Do you know anyone who can't consume milk or milk-based products? The condition is not uncommon and these people are classified as lactose intolerant.Lactose is the main carbohydrate or sugar found in milk, and in varying quantities in dairy products made from milk including yoghurt, ice cream, soft cheeses and butter. Combat High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol with Soybeans You may have heard of the "Portfolio Diet" wherein it has been clinically accepted that increasing the intake of soy based foods can reduce levels of LDL cholesterol as much as some statin drugs.Well, now it seems that soybeans have another health-giving quality: they also reduce blood pressure. Lingzhi A Miracle Herb For Peak Health The secret of success is knowing how to deal with your body to maintain peak health condition. The dictum Health is Wealth hold more truth in the modern context than ever before. Magnesium Deficiency Causes Personality Change and WLS Patients are at Risk Have you ever felt like you were completely losing your mind? Like the world was swallowing you up and little things were out of your control and unmanageable? Like you were confused, tired, out of sorts and simply wanted to collapse? Has everyday noise become intolerably loud in your head?That's how I was feeling a few months ago. I was confident I'd lost my mind and suffered a serious change of personality (for the worse, I may add). An Apple a Day, Does Keep the Doctor Away Increasing the fiber in your diet has been shown to: reduce your cholesterol, reduce your hunger, lower your fat absorption, reduce surges in insulin levels, help with weight loss, lower the risk of colon cancer, and lower your risk of heart disease. WOW! Sounds like a miracle cure - where can I get this stuff? The answer: At your grocery store. The Dangers of Honey Before we get to honey we have a question from one of our readers.Pam asks:What is your opinion of Splenda?Answer:Splenda is made by chlorinating sugar (sucrose). Alcohol Addiction and Obesity People who consume too much alcohol have good chance of making it to the Obesity chart. Pure alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. How to Have Great Sex - Nutrition and Foods That Create Passion Is the thrill gone? Has the thrill gone out of your love life and sex. Do you just spend boring evening after boring evening together watching the prime time TV lineups. Healthy Food Tastes Better! How is it that we can't seem to think that something nutritious and healthy could in fact be tasty and enjoyable? Ever since I started to eat healthy food I have discovered new tastes, new flavours and new favourites. I do it almost daily. Three Cheers for Heart Healthy Oils! You may have noticed an ever-expanding choice of oils at your local grocery store over the past few years. While once your options were limited to corn, canola, safflower and maybe olive oil, now your choices include walnut, almond, grapeseed and other types of oil as well. The New Biology of Health - the Way to Perpetual Youth? Just what is the "New Biology of Health?" And who's the snake oil salesperson promoting certain products as the cure-all for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease? Does it work ?Simply put, the "New Biology of Health" is about maintaining your body's acid/alkaline balance or pH level. The ideal pH level, as measured by saliva, urine, or blood tests, is slightly alkaline. Fish Oil The research in support of dietary omega-3 fatty acids (such as in fish oils) continues to flood the scientific literature. This is perfectly predictable given our genetic roots. Getting Your Target What is health? Everyone wants this thing called health, and yet most people have never thought about what their "target of health" actually looks like. If you and your family were healthy, what would it be like? It is like this: Imagine you are shooting a bow and arrow at a definite target and you have no idea what the target is. A Home Water Filter - Do We Need To Filter Our Drinking Water? Do we really need a home water filter? Can't we just assume the water that flows from our kitchen and bathroom tap is sufficiently treated for contaminants by our municipal water facility? In order to answer these questions, we need to obtain a little more background information.Next to air, water is the most important element for our survival. Avoiding Mental Disorders Through the Aid of Vitamins and Minerals When we think about the benefits of being ensuring a good bill of health by keeping track of our daily intake of prescribed vitamins, minerals and as well as the other nutrients that are needed by your body in order to stay healthy. It is important to be conscious of the fact that deficiencies in the daily intake of vitamins and minerals can negatively affect not only your physical capabilities but your how your mind functions as well. Aspartame -More Dangerous Than High Fructose Corn Syrup It's really hard to believe that something could be worse than the intense sugar loads from high fructose corn syrup and sucrose. But, Aspartame ( Equal, Nutrasweet, Equal Measure, Spoonful, Canderal) is even more dangerous to your health. Feeling Tired? No Pep & Zing? Tap Into Breakfast Smoothies! I'm 40-something years old, and for 40-something years breakfast has been a pain. Some of my earliest memories are getting ready for school with my mother insisting I eat a bowl of cereal. Dietary Guideline USA Are you sick and tired of the confusion about our dietary guideline? Don't do this, do that, no not this, lose weight this way and on and on. Too much fat, more of this and it goes on and on and on. |
home | site map |
© 2005 |