Dietary fiber is known as the "seventh nutrient" of human beings. It can not only enhance intestinal peristalsis, but also help the normal functioning of the digestive system; at the same time, it can also inhibit the absorption of cholesterol, which can help reduce the risks of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

However, with the improvement of living standards, refined food and over-finished products have made many people’s intake of the dietary fiber insufficient! Therefore, in daily life, we are often advised to "eat more whole grains, miscellaneous grains, and miscellaneous beans", so some people often eat more, or even eat it all at once, thinking that it is healthier. However, dietary fiber may not be as "perfect" as you think...

Advantages and disadvantages of dietary fiber.

The right amount of dietary fiber from natural dietary fibers supplier has many benefits, but excessive intake in a short period of time may also cause health problems.

1. It can help excretion, but it may also cause constipation or diarrhea.

Dietary fiber can shorten the residence time of food in the intestinal tract, increase the volume of feces, stimulate intestinal peristalsis, increase the frequency of defecation, and prevent constipation. However, if you just take it blindly and neglect to drink enough water, insufficient water may lead to more congestion in the intestines and make it difficult to defecate. This phenomenon is mainly due to eating too much soluble fiber (fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, legumes). However, when insoluble fibers such as wheat, corn bran, and brown rice are taken in too much, it will stimulate the intestinal tract to speed up the emptying of food, and the opposite symptoms may appear, such as diarrhea and loose stools.

2. It can help discharge waste and hinder nutrient absorption.

Dietary fiber can help excrete metabolic waste, and even wrap some toxic and harmful substances such as heavy metals out of the body to prevent the body from absorbing harmful substances. In addition, foods high in dietary fiber, such as various grains, seeds, etc., tend to be high in phytic acid, and phytic acid is one of the "antinutrients", which can be combined with certain essential minerals (especially calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc) and reduce their absorption from food. For example, if you eat black beans and zinc-rich oysters at the same time, the body's absorption of zinc may be half that of eating oysters alone. The reason is the phytic acid in black beans. Not only that, phytic acid can also inhibit digestive enzymes such as amylase, trypsin and pepsin, reducing the digestion efficiency of food.

3. It can nourish the stomach, but it can also hurt the stomach.

Dietary fiber, as the "scavenger" of the gastrointestinal tract, can reduce the damage of metabolic waste to the stomach and play a protective role. However, because cellulose cannot be digested and decomposed in the human body, too much intake of cellulose will not only prolong the gastric emptying time, but also easily cause gastric acid reflux and cause "corrosion" to the stomach and esophagus. It may also cause intestinal obstruction. In addition, if you take too much hard insoluble crude fiber at one time, it will cause excessive mechanical friction on the gastric mucosa and easily cause gastric bleeding and other symptoms.

It is correct to eat dietary fiber in this way.

In order to obtain the benefits that dietary fiber brings, we must have a correct understanding and reasonable intake.

1. Soluble and insoluble dietary fiber have different effects.

1.1 Soluble dietary fiber can lower cholesterol and balancing intestinal flora. Soluble dietary fiber absorbs water to form a gel-like substance inside the digestive system, and combines with cholesterol and sugar to prevent or slow down their absorption into the blood, regulate blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol. In addition, soluble dietary fiber can enhance satiety after absorbing water, which is beneficial to weight control. One study showed that participants who ate 10 grams of soluble fiber per day lost 4% of their belly fat over a five-year period. Moreover, soluble dietary fiber is more easily fermented and decomposed by intestinal bacteria, and induces the proliferation of probiotics, which is related to improving immunity, anti-inflammatory effects, and even improving mood. Main sources: fruits, vegetables, konjac, alginate, etc.

1.2 Insoluble dietary fiber helps defecation. Insoluble dietary fiber, which is not broken down by the intestines and absorbed into the blood. It absorbs water to bulk up the stool and stimulate bowel movements, which helps maintain regular bowel movements and prevents constipation. Main source: it often exists in the roots, stems, skins, leaves, and fruits of plants, such as wheat bran, oatmeal, brown rice, and oats.

2. The principle of moderation.

2.1 Control the total intake amount. Adults are recommended to consume 25-30g of dietary fiber per day. And these specific daily meals include: 

①50~150g of whole grains per day: such as corn, brown rice, oats, rye, barley, millet, black rice, barley, quinoa, etc.  

② Daily intake of potatoes is 50~100g: such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro, yam, etc.  

③Eat 300-500 grams of vegetables per day; 200-350 grams of fruits per day.  

④ 25~35g of various beans: red beans, black beans, mung beans, peas, chickpeas, etc.

2.2 Eat gradually. Sudden increase in dietary fiber intake in a short period of time can easily cause discomfort if the body does not adapt. A more moderate approach is to increase the intake of dietary fiber by 3-4g per week, and it takes about 3-4 weeks to reach the daily recommended amount of dietary fiber. In addition, when taking in dietary fiber, you should drink more water appropriately.

3. Special populations should eat less dietary fiber.

For people with obesity, high blood sugar, and high blood fat, eating more dietary fiber can control their health and is good for their health. However, for the following people, they should control the amount and eat less:

①People with weak digestive system, including the elderly and children; or people with digestive system diseases, such as liver cirrhosis, gastric ulcer, intestinal obstruction, etc.  

②People with kidney disease: potassium and phosphorus are high in coarse grains, excessive consumption may affect kidney function.  

③Those who are deficient in calcium and iron. Phytic acid and dietary fiber in coarse grains can combine with calcium to form precipitates, which will affect the absorption of calcium and iron,so eat less.

④Manual laborers and teenagers: they have high energy requirements, and coarse grains provide less energy.  

⑤ People who have just recovered from a serious illness and patients in the recovery period of major surgery should not eat whole grains, which will hinder the absorption of nutrients.

Although dietary fiber produced by dietary fiber supplier has many benefits, it does not mean that the more you eat, the better. It should be supplemented in an appropriate amount according to the specific conditions of different individuals.