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Fibers are compounds of plant origin that are not digested by the body and that can be found in some foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and cereals, for example. Adequate consumption of fiber in food is important to maintain intestinal health, fight and prevent diseases such as constipation, obesity and diabetes.
There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, and most foods contain both types of fiber, however each has different benefits for the body. The daily fiber recommendation for an adult is between 25 and 38 grams.
Fiber Benefits
In general, the health benefits of fiber are:
- Combat constipation, as they accelerate intestinal transit and increase the volume of feces and facilitate its elimination, especially when consumed together with adequate amounts of water.
- Increase the feeling of satiety, since as they are not digested, they create a kind of gel in the stomach, helping to reduce the calories that are ingested and favoring weight loss;
- Help to regulate blood sugar levels, as the absorption of carbohydrates at the intestinal level is slower, causing glucose to increase progressively and insulin to regulate its levels in the blood;
- Decrease the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, as fibers are able to decrease the absorption of fats and cholesterol at the intestinal level, causing them to decrease their concentration in the body in the long run;
- Eliminate toxins found in the intestine, through feces, as well as control and regulate the pH in the intestine;
- Maintain the health of the intestinal flora and the gastrointestinal system, as they serve as food for the beneficial bacteria that are naturally present in the intestine. In addition to promoting the health of the intestinal microbiota, the fibers decrease inflammation, increase the body's defenses and prevent the formation of intestinal diseases.
To get the full benefits of fiber, it is necessary to consume fiber-rich foods daily with all main meals and snacks. It is also important to mention that when eating a diet rich in fiber, it is necessary to increase the intake of water, since water hydrates the fiber and lubricates the intestine, facilitating the elimination of feces and improving constipation.
List of high fiber foods
The following table shows the foods richest in fiber and in what quantities they have it:
Cereals | Quantity of fibers (100 g) |
Wheat bran | 30 g |
Rye flour | 15.5 g |
Oats | 9.1 g |
Cooked brown rice | 2.7 g |
Whole wheat bread | 6.9 g |
Vegetables, vegetables and derivatives |
Cassava flour | 6.5 g |
Sauteed kale | 5.7 g |
Cooked broccoli | 3.4 g |
Raw carrot | 3.2 g |
Baked sweet potato | 2.2 g |
Green pepper | 2.6 g |
Baked pumpkin | 2.5 g |
Raw pumpkin | 1.6 g |
Lettuce | 2 g |
Fruits and derivatives |
Khaki | 6.5 g |
Avocado | 6.3 g |
Guava | 6.3 g |
Earth orange | 4.1 g |
Apple | 2.0 g |
Plum | 2.4 g |
Banana | 2.6 g |
Seeds and nuts |
Linseed | 33.5 g |
Almonds | 11.6 g |
Chestnut of Pará | 7.9 g |
Raw coconut | 5.4 g |
Cashew nut | 3.7 g |
Peanut | 8.0 g |
Sesame seeds | 11.9 g |
Grains |
Soy flour | 20.2 g |
Cooked carioca beans | 8.5 g |
Green bean | 9.7 g |
Cooked lentils | 7.9 g |
Pea | 7.5 g |
Chickpeas | 12.4 g |
Black bean | 8.4 g |
Types of dietary fiber
Dietary fibers can be classified as being soluble or insoluble, the main difference between them being that the soluble fiber dissolves in water, while the insoluble fiber does not. Each of them has its main benefits.
Soluble fibers
The soluble fibers dissolve in the water forming a gel, and so they stay longer in the stomach and small intestine, thus giving a greater feeling of satiety, regulating blood sugar and lowering cholesterol.
In addition, soluble fibers are metabolized and fermented by the good bacteria present in the intestine, which helps maintain intestinal health and reduce inflammation, preventing the onset of gastrointestinal diseases, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel, and they can also prevent colorectal cancer, and can therefore be considered as a prebiotic.
Some soluble fibers are pectin and inulin, for example, which can be found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and foods that contain oats, wheat germ, barley and rye. See more about foods rich in soluble fiber.
Insoluble fibers
Insoluble fibers do not dilute in water and their fermentation in the intestinal microbiota is limited, so when they reach the large intestine, they accelerate intestinal transit as it increases the volume of feces and acts as a natural laxative, preventing the occurrence of problems such as constipation, hemorrhoids and inflammation at the intestinal level. They also favor the elimination of toxic products generated at the intestinal level.
Some insoluble fibers are cellulose and lignin, for example, which can be found mainly in whole grains, mainly almonds in shell, chia and linseed seeds, nuts, raisins and in the shell of fruits and vegetables. Check out other foods where insoluble fibers can be found.
Quantity of fibers per day
A piece of advice to increase fiber intake in the diet is to include raw and shelled foods, especially fruits and vegetables, as well as grains, seeds and whole grains, avoiding refined foods like corn flour, wheat flour and rice White.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the daily fiber recommendation varies according to age and sex, as per the following table:
Group | Amount of fiber in men per 1000 kcal / day | Amount of fiber for women per 1000 kcal / day |
0 to 6 months | Only through breast milk | Only through breast milk |
6 to 12 months | It was not indicated | It was not indicated |
1 to 3 years | 19 g | 19 |
4 to 8 years | 25 g | 25 g |
9 to 13 years | 31 g | 26 g |
14 to 18 years | 38 g | 26 g |
19 to 50 years | 38 g | 25 g |
> 50 years | 30 g | 21 g |
Pregnancy | - | 29 g |
Infants | - | 29 g |
When for some reason it is not possible to ingest the recommended amount of fiber per day through food, there are some supplements that can be purchased at pharmacies, health food stores or online stores in capsule or powder form that have the same benefits as fiber present in food.