What Is Fibrous

“Fibrous High fiber foods normalize bowel movement or alimentary tract system. Food fibers increase the weight and size of stool and also soften the same.  We can pass bulky stool easily, avoid constipation. Non-digestive carbohydrates are known and work as fiber”

What is fibrous?

Fibrous food items that are full of fiber are important for our health.  Adequate fiber intake reduces constipation, best for weight loss, lowers cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of diabetes, heart attack, and also increases healthy gut bacteria, reduces the risk of chronic diseases.

Fiber is a non-digestive carbohydrate found in our foods. It is of two types;

1. Water-soluble fiber:  it dissolves in water and metabolized by the good bacteria in our gut.
2. Insoluble fiber: It does not dissolve in water and create stool.

Our food contains both fibers. There is a lot of difference between soluble and insoluble fibers.  Some insoluble fibers are digested by good bacteria in the intestine.   

Fibrous Feeds “Good” Gut bacteria

Fibrous Bacteria live in different parts of the human body. Some live on skin, mouth, nose, and the majority of good bacteria live in the gut, large intestine. Approximately 500 different species of bacteria live in the intestine totaling about 100 trillion cells known as gut flora.

These bacteria are our friends.  We provide them food, in return, they take care of the human body by maintaining weight, control blood sugar, control cholesterol level, immune function, and brain function too. 

Just like human beings, these bacteria need to eat to get the energy to survive and function properly.   Mostly carb, protein, and fats are absorbed into the bloodstream in the small intestine. Only small parts thereof move to the large intestine.

Human cells of the small intestine do not have the enzymes to digest fiber. Thus dietary fiber reaches to intestine unchanged and feeds the good bacteria in the intestine. In this way, fiber plays an important role in the growth of good bacteria in our gut.

These friendly bacteria produce nutrients for the human body, including short-chain fatty acids like acetate, propionate, and butyrate.

These short-chain fatty acids feed the cells in the colon, reduce gut inflammation and improve digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease

Many times these bacteria ferment the fiber and produce gases, causes flatulence and discomfort in the stomach but these side effects go away gradually as per adjustment of the body. So we must consume an adequate amount of fibrous foods because they feed good friendly bacteria in the gut.

Fibrous can help you lose weight

Some types of fiber help us to reduce weight by decreasing appetite.  When we intake a high amount of dietary fiber,  automatically reduce calorie intake, resulting in weight loss occurs.  The best dietary fiber for weight loss is  Glucomannan.  It is a natural, water-soluble dietary fiber taken from the roots of the elephant yam. It is one of the best weight loss supplements.

Fiber can reduce blood sugar level

High viscosity soluble Fiber foods help to reduce Blood Sugar levels.  It includes beta-glucans, pectins, guar gum, sprouts, and oats, flax seeds, etc. Scientists believe only high viscosity soluble fiber can reduce blood sugar levels. These soluble fibers in carb-containing meals may increase a smaller spike in blood sugar.  Thus food that is full of viscous fiber has a lower glycemic index and causes smaller spikes in blood sugar than that food which are low in fiber.

Fiber reduces cholesterol level

Viscous soluble fiber also reduces the cholesterol levels of our blood.  A review study shows that if we intake 10 gm high viscosity soluble fiber daily, it will reduce LDL cholesterol level by 2.2 mg approximately.  But it depends on the viscosity of the fiber.  Studies found a reduction in cholesterol level in the case when we increase the amount of fiber intake.  In this way, fiber reduces the risk of a heart attack.

Fiber reduce constipation

Another benefit of increasing fiber intake is that it reduced constipation. It is claimed that fiber absorbs water and increases bulk stool and also increases the movement of stool through the intestine and works as a laxative. Some studies show that increasing fiber intake reduces constipation.

Usually, fiber that increases the water level of the stool has a laxative effect, while fiber that is added to the dry mass stool without increasing the water content shall bear constipating effect.

Sorbitol has a laxative effect on the colon. Prunes are a good source of sorbitol. If you choose the right type of fiber you will get the proper result otherwise wrong fiber will not give you the proper result. Some fibers reduce constipation but others increase constipation. It depends on the type of fiber choose.

Fiber reduces the risk of colorectal cancer

Various study shows high intake of fiber-rich foods reduces the risk of colon cancer. (2)   Intake of the whole,  high fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contain healthy nutrients and antioxidants which may reduce the risk of colon cancer. However, there is no proved evidence/data that high fiber food reduces the risk of colon cancer. But fiber is helpful in maintaining the healthy colon wall.

As per the diet plan, we must eat more fiber and less added sugar in our daily meals.  Eating plenty of fibrous foods, lower the risk of strokes, diabetes, and heart trouble, and colon cancer. We should take approximately  15 gm to 30 gm fiber daily in proportionate to our age and health, children up to the age of 5 need 15 gm fiber daily,  5 to 11 years it must of 20 gm and 11 to 18 years 25 gm daily.

We need fiber in our diet because it reduces the risk of heart attack, diabetes, stroke, lowers cholesterol levels.  Fibrous foods also play an important role in our digestive system.  It regulates the movement of our intestine and colon. Some good fiber foods produce good bacteria in our gut.

For a healthy bowel, we need fiber from different types of sources, such as

• Oats
• Beans
• Fruits
• Leafy green  vegetables
• Brown rice
• Whole meal atta bread

In some cases, cereal and grains cause stomach upset, stop intake cereal and grains and put on vegetables and fruits. And also plenty of water and fluids that will help to reduce the chance of constipation.

List of foods items rich in fiber is includes

Quantity of  fiber available in Fruits (Approximate)

Serial No	Particulars	Serving Size	Total Fiber(GM) (Approximately)
1	Pears	2 Medium	11.0
2	Apple	200 Grams	5.0
3	Banana	2 Medium	6.0
4	Orange	2 Medium	6.0
5	Strawberries	1 Cup	3.0
6	Papaya	1 Medium	5.0
7	Guava	100 Grams	5.0

Quantity of fiber available in vegetables (Approximate)

1	Green Peas Boiled	1 Cup	9.0
2	Broccoli Boiled	1 Cup	5.0
3	Potato Baked	1 Medium	4.0
4	Sweet Corn Boiled	1 Cup	3.5
5	Cauliflower Raw	1 Cup Chopped	2.0
6	Carrot	1 Medium Size	1.5

Quantity of fiber available in grains (Approximate)

1	Spaghetti, Whole Wheat Cooked	1 Cup	6.0
2	Barley, Cooked	1 Cup	6.0
3	Quinoa, Cooked	1 Cup	5.0
4	Oats Bran Muffin	1 Medium	5.0
5	Oats Meals Cooked	1 Cup	5.0
6	Pop Corn, Air Popped	1 Cup	1.0
7	Bread, Whole Wheat	2 Slice	4.0
8	Brown Rice Cooked	1 Cup	3.5

FAQ