Vegetable fibers: A “green” shield for our body!

In fact, their systematic intake through our daily diet and in as high quantities as possible, contributes to the better functioning of our body and increases its protection levels. But how do they achieve this and what are the benefits for our health?

Plant fibers are mainly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes and are parts of plant foods that are not digested and absorbed by our bodies. Unlike other food components, such as fats, proteins and carbohydrates, which our bodies break down into their basic building blocks and absorb, fiber is not absorbed during digestion. What happens is that they make a journey through the gastrointestinal tract until they are expelled, during which they remain almost intact. Nevertheless, their effect on our body is remarkable.

Plant fibers are divided into 2 basic categories, depending on their solubility in water:

• Soluble fibers. Fibers of this type dissolve in water and form gel-like compounds. The fact that they absorb water allows the intestinal contents to pass quickly through the gastrointestinal tract. Soluble fiber appears to help regulate blood sugar levels as well as cholesterol. Soluble fibers contain barley, oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, etc.
• Insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber helps move intestinal contents and form stool bulk, helping to fight constipation. Rich in insoluble fiber are whole grain foods, nuts, beans, and some vegetables, such as cauliflower, potatoes, etc.

Many foods, such as oats and beans, may contain both types of fiber. To get the maximum health benefit, however, one needs to eat a variety of fiber-rich foods.

How much and where are they useful?
The benefits of fiber for the body are many:
• Regulation of bowel function: Fiber increases the bulk of stools, helping them pass through the bowel and reducing the likelihood of constipation. Soluble fiber also seems to help regulate diarrheal bowel movements.
• Maintaining good gut health: Through the proper regulation of gut function, in addition to preventing constipation, fiber reduces the risk of hemorrhoids, diverticulosis and other intestinal conditions.
• Regulation of cholesterol levels: Soluble fiber appears to help reduce levels of “bad” cholesterol and, by extension, total cholesterol.
• Cancer protection: A large body of literature shows that eating a variety of fiber-rich foods has a protective effect against colon cancer.
• Regulation of blood glucose levels: A healthy diet that includes a variety of fiber foods and, in particular, is rich in insoluble fiber, can help reduce the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. In addition, in patients with diabetes, soluble fiber appear to reduce the absorption rate of glucose and regulate its levels in the blood.
• Contribute to weight loss: Foods that are rich in plant fiber usually have a lower amount of calories and create a feeling of satiety in relatively smaller amounts.

The necessary amount of fiber that a healthy man should consume during the day is about 30-38 grams and a healthy woman 21-25 grams. These amounts can be met by consuming plenty of wholemeal breads and cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Processed forms of these foods, such as compotes or fruit juices, white pastries and cereals, are considerably poorer in fiber. In addition, during the processing of grains, the outer husk of the seeds is removed, which contains, in addition to a lot of fiber, and many B vitamins and trace elements.
Also, very often we can meet in the trade foods enriched with vegetable fibers, such as yogurts, cereal bars, cereals, etc.

Enrich your diet

Some simple ideas to increase your fiber intake throughout the day:
• Choose whole grains for your breakfast or oatmeal. For an even greater boost, add dried fruit and nuts to milk or yogurt.
• You can replace some or all “white” foods with whole grains, white rice with brown or wild, white pasta with whole grain pasta.
• Try making cakes and cookies with wholemeal flour for a change.
• Consume at least once a week a legume and another time an oily one. You can also add legumes such as chickpeas, black-eyed beans and lentils to your salads as well.
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day. Choose whole fruits instead of juices and, more often, raw vegetables instead of cooked ones.
• Add nuts or dried fruit to your snack.
• You can also add some seeds to your fruit salad, such as flaxseed, sesame, chia, pumpkin seeds, etc.

However, some attention should be paid to the overconsumption of vegetable fiber, and even to its sudden increase in the diet, as unpleasant symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence and intestinal gas can be caused. Gradually increase the amount of fiber over a period of a few weeks. In addition, for their best performance, along with the consumption of fiber, sufficient water intake is also needed.

They write:
Polyxeni Koutkia – Mylonaki
Endocrinologist – Diabetologist
Director of the Department of Clinical Dietetics HYGEIA

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