Summer Fun &…Fiber?

By: Megan Minnick

Dietary fiber might not be the first thing you think about when planning your summer, but it also shouldn’t be the last. Because just like sunscreen, bugspray, or sturdy hiking shoes, a fiber-rich diet can make the difference between carefree summer fun and distraction, discomfort, or even pain. (Because really, who wants to deal with constipation on a beautiful day at the beach?)

It may not be sexy, but for those of us with human bodies, fiber is important. So put on your flipflops, grab an ice-cold smoothie, and let’s talk about one of summer’s little-known secrets: fiber.

What is Fiber?

Along with sugars, starches, fats, and proteins, dietary fiber is one of the essential macronutrients in our diets. Most of the fiber we eat is plant-based. It’s a type of carbohydrate, but unlike other carbs like sugars and starches which are absorbed in the small intestine, our bodies can’t digest fiber, and so it passes through us relatively intact.

Despite this lack of absorption (or rather, because of it) fiber is an important part of a healthful diet. It’s vital to keeping our digestive systems working properly—preventing constipation, hemorrhoids, and other uncomfortable gastric symptoms. It’s also a valuable tool for both weight management and the prevention of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.

How does it do all that? To answer that question, it’s helpful to understand the two main types of fiber:

Soluble fiber breaks down in water, forming a gel-like substance in the digestive tract. It adds bulk to stools, helping them pass more easily, and it binds to both cholesterol and sugar, slowing and even preventing their absorption. Because of this, soluble fiber has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels, and to decrease the risk of diabetes and heart disease.Most plant foods contain a mix of fiber types, but some that are especially rich in soluble fiber include oats, peas, beans, apples, bananas, avocados, citrus fruits, carrots, and psyllium seed.

Insoluble fiber does not break down in water, and can be thought of as a kind of brush that cleans out our systems, moving food through and adding bulk to stools. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, and vegetables such as kale, cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes are especially good sources of soluble fiber.

Foods that contain a lot of fiber (both soluble and insoluble) tend to be less energy-dense and have fewer calories than other foods, yet their bulk can help us feel full longer. This makes fiber a helpful nutrient in weight management.

Additionally, diets high in both soluble and insoluble fiber have been shown to reduce risk of colorectal, liver, and breast cancers.

When all the health benefits are put together, the science shows that a high-fiber diet can literally save our lives. A 2015 meta-analysis of seventeen studies—including 1.75 million people—found that during the study periods of up to ten years, people who ate the most fiber were 19% less likely to die than people who ate the least.

Prebiotic Fiber

Before we move on, there’s one more type of fiber that bears mentioning: prebiotic, or “fermentable” fiber. This is a nutrient that’s gotten a lot of attention in recent years, and there are a myriad of functional food products that tout its inclusion.

But what exactly is it? Prebiotic fiber is technically a subset of soluble fiber—it dissolves in liquid. But unlike most soluble (or insoluble) fiber, it is digested within our systems. Just not by us. It’s the preferred food of the beneficial bacteria in our gut, who transform it into short-chain fatty acids that are then absorbed into our bloodstream and support metabolic health, calcium absorption, and other important bodily functions.

It’s worth noting that, though it is beneficial to overall health, prebiotic fiber doesn’t have the same digestive and cholesterol-/sugar-reducing benefits as other types of fiber. This is because prebiotic fiber is metabolized in our gut, and doesn’t remain intact all the way through our digestive systems in the same way other fiber does.

Foods that contain the most prebiotic fiber include dandelion greens, Jerusalem artichokes (aka sunchokes), jicama, onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas, oats, apples, burdock root, flax seeds, wheat bran, avocado, and seaweed. It’s often referred to on ingredient lists as inulin, which is a nutrient isolated from one of the above foods.

How Much Fiber is Enough?

Fiber is currently experiencing a bit of a celebrity through a social media trend known as “Fibermaxxing,” in which adherents are challenged to increase their fiber intake to the “max.” And while many of the “maxxing” trends—which glorify the idea of pushing something to the ultimate limit—may be harmful, this is one that nutritionists are getting behind.

That’s because we have a long way to go. 95% of us don’t get enough fiber; the average American eats only 15-16 grams a day, which is barely half the recommended amount set out by the National Academy of Medicine:

  • 21 grams for women older than age 50.
  • 25 grams for women age 50 or younger.
  • 30 grams for men older than age 50.
  • 38 grams for men age 50 or younger.

To put those numbers into context, a whole medium avocado has 12 grams of fiber. A banana has 3. A slice of whole wheat bread and a corn tortilla both have roughly 2 grams, while white bread has less than 1. A half cup of split peas or black beans has 8 grams, and an ounce of almonds has 4.

While there’s no firm guidance on how much fiber is too much, as long as it’s introduced into the diet slowly (more on that below) for most people, there doesn’t appear to be any risk below 60 or 70 grams per day.

There are, however, a few specific conditions that require a low-fiber diet, and for which fiber should be avoided. These include people with active Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, bowel obstruction, diarrhea, diverticulitis, new colostomy/ileostomy, recent intestinal surgery, and people who are prepping for a colonoscopy.

And lastly, as with any diet or life change, it’s important to balance the pros and cons of mental and physical health. If “fibermaxxing” leads you to obsessively track your diet, or to feel anxiety or worry about what you eat, it may be time to back away and focus on simply meeting dietary guidelines without exceeding them.

What about Fiber Supplements?

Though there are many fiber pills and powders on the market, the general advice from nutritionists is to try to get the fiber we need from whole plant foods rather than from supplements.

Almost all fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes, and whole grains contain a mixture of soluble and insoluble fiber, and including them in our diet ensures that we get some of both. These foods have other important micronutrients as well—vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that work alongside fiber in our systems to keep us healthy.

If you’re finding it’s just too difficult to get the fiber you need through your food, supplements can be a viable choice, however. Psyllium seed, in particular, has been shown to work well as a supplement. (We recommend Organic India psyllium, which is available at all the Willy Street Co-op stores in both capsule and powdered form.) As with all supplements, it’s important to talk to your doctor before beginning use.

Tips for Increasing Fiber

If you’re ready to add more fiber to your diet (and why wouldn’t you be?), here are a few tips to help you get started.

  • Start slow. Increasing fiber consumption too quickly can shock your system and result in gastrointestinal distress like diarrhea, gas, and bloating. Most nutritionists recommend upping your fiber intake slowly over the course of a few weeks.
  • Drink lots of water. Fiber needs water to help it get through our systems, and especially at first, this may mean increasing your daily water intake along with your fiber. Hydration needs vary by person, but the average recommendation is between 11 and 15 cups per day.
  • Jump start your day. Many nutritionists point to a fiber-rich breakfast as one of the easiest ways to get ahead of our daily fiber intake. Oatmeal, fruit smoothies, high-fiber cereals and granolas, bran muffins, and whole grain energy bars are all easy and delicious ways to add fiber in the morning.
  • Make the easy switches first: Getting more fiber doesn’t have to mean a complete overhaul of your diet. Many times, favorite recipes can be tweaked by making a simple swap from a low- to a high-fiber food. Substitute brown rice for white rice; whole wheat bread or bagels for white bread; and whole wheat or other whole grain pasta for white pasta. Save time and nutrition by leaving the peels on carrots, potatoes, and other fruits and veggies. Sprinkle wheat germ, nuts, flax, or fresh berries into your yogurt.
  • Plan for fiber on-the-go: What about those summer outings, when we head to the beach or the trail and leave our kitchens and refrigerators behind? Restaurant food is often devoid of fiber, so this is where a little planning can go a long way. Stock up on high-fiber energy bars, dried fruits, nuts, and other snacks, or pack a cooler for a delicious high-fiber picnic (think cold bean salads, whole wheat bread sandwiches, and lots of fresh fruits and veggies). If you do end up in a restaurant, look for menus that include higher fiber foods such as beans, fresh veggies, and other legumes and whole grains. Mexican food is often a great, easy-to-find choice, with beans and whole grain corn tortillas fitting prominently on the menu.

Dietary Fiber: Definitions, Benefits and Sources:

Prebiotics

  • Justin L Carlson, Jennifer M Erickson, Beate B Lloyd, Joanne L Slavin. (2018). Health Effects and Sources of Prebiotic Dietary Fiber. from Current Developments in Nutrition accessed through the National Library of Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6041804/

Fibermaxxing Trend

Ready-to-Eat or Drink Fiber at your Co-op

  • Willy Street Co-op’s Grab & Go Three Bean Chicken Chili
  • Willy Street Co-op’s Grab & Go Thai Firecracker Salad
  • Olden Organics Guacamole
  • Field Day Black Beans
  • Catalina Crunch Cinnamon Toast Cereal
  • Mama Chia Organic Chia Beverage
  • No Cow Protein Bar
  • Organic India Psyllium Husk
  • Rip Van Wafels
  • Olipop Prebiotic Soda

 


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