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Everyone poops. This is a universally acknowledged truth. Truisms and gag gifts aside, personal health is a concern. Diet modification is perhaps the easiest way to impact our health, yet this requires information and understanding.
Fiber is a key component of a healthy diet, but the average American is simply not getting enough. The recommended fiber intake for an adult is between 20 and 35 grams, but daily actual intake is estimated at 15. Dietary fiber is present in all fruits and vegetables but is rarely talked about in polite conversation.
Fiber is a carbohydrate the human body is unable to digest. Carbohydrates serve two purposes: storing energy and structural support. Starch — which humans easily break down into glucose — is an example of a storage carbohydrate, while other carbohydrates, particularly structural ones, are indigestible.
Indigestible carbohydrates pass through the digestive system virtually unchanged. Bacteria in our large intestines can break down these carbohydrates, but our system is unable to absorb the sugars released. Absorption of sugar occurs primarily in the small intestine; as a result, fiber has virtually no energy content. How is eating fiber beneficial then? It is first important to understand the two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.
A soluble fiber can be dissolved in water. Fiber supplements primarily use soluble fiber because of the health benefits associated with its consumption. Soluble fibers decrease fat absorption, lower bad cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. The average supplement contains approximately three grams of fiber. While soluble fiber can be purchased as an extract, it is also available in a variety of foods like citrus fruits and oats.
Insoluble fiber, commonly referred to as roughage, is the predominant structural elements in plants. While insoluble fibers pass through the body virtually unchanged, their presence can still yield health benefits. A short-term benefit is its ability to add bulk to a meal, enhancing fullness. Diets high in insoluble fiber are recommended to those attempting to lose weight for this reason. Insoluble fibers have also been shown to promote healthy function of the bowels, particularly regularity. Nearly all fruits and vegetables contain insoluble fiber, but whole grains are the best source.
The best source of fiber is still the most delicious: whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables. A whole food is basically anything that is unprocessed and unrefined. Extracted fibers have become increasingly available to account for the deficiency in the American diet; these sources, however, lack the nutrients offered by whole foods. American chemist and Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling opposed the commercialization of naturally available compounds, considering them a waste of money.
Decades later, it has been shown that whole food items contain additional active compounds processed foods don’t have. This is a concept Maine has wholeheartedly endorsed with its cancer-killing “magic bullet” blueberries. A serving of blueberries contains about four grams of fiber. Ongoing research continues to unravel the myriad health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables.
As corporations continually attempt to bolster sales by producing more convenient products to accommodate for the modern lifestyle, important nutritional elements tend to get lost in translation. Not all new products are necessarily advancements, and not all advancements are necessary. Also, dietary fiber supplements present risks rarely associated with whole foods, such as blockages of the esophagus and intestines.
Fruits and vegetables are available all year-round. While supplements are an effective solution to the problem of Americans’ low fiber intake, they are not the simplest or the cheapest and certainly not the most enjoyable.
Chris Gendron is a Master of Science student in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition.
