LEVEL 2 - MACRONUTRIENTS & FIBER (Part 5) Fiber Recommendations Flashcards
What is fiber?
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t digest. Though most carbohydrates are broken down into sugar molecules, fiber cannot be broken down into sugar molecules, and instead it passes through the body undigested.
What is Fiber important and good for?
Fiber helps regulate the body’s use of sugars, helping to keep hunger and blood sugar in check. Fiber is important for gut health and nutrient absorption. It can also e ectively decrease your energy intake because not all fiber has a calorie value, yet it “counts” as a carbohydrate and may increase satiety.
What are different types of Fiber?
- Soluble fiber: Dissolves in water, can help lower glucose levels as well as help lower blood cholesterol. Foods with soluble fiber include oatmeal, nuts, beans, lentils, apples and blueberries.
- Insoluble fiber: Does not dissolve in water, can help food move through your digestive system, promoting regularity and helping prevent constipation. Foods with insoluble fibers include wheat, whole wheat bread, whole grain couscous, brown rice, legumes, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes.
What are some of the best fiber sources? What are some tips to increase fiber intake?
The best sources of fiber are whole grain foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts.
- Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices.
- Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products.
- For breakfast, choose cereals that have a whole grain as their first ingredient.
- Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars.
- Substitute beans or legumes for meat two to three times per week in chili and soups.
What are the minimum and maximum requirements using both methods?
A healthy minimum ber intake would be 20 grams for females and 25 grams for males per day. As a maximum for both genders, I’d say we don’t need to go above 20% of your total carbohydrate intake on any given day.
What are the benefits of using the 10 grams of fiber per 1000 kcal?
Probably more practical for individuals who are on a ketogenic, low-carbohydrate, or low-calorie diet.
Why is there a maximum requirement for fiber?
If you only eat oats and clean foods to increase this number well above recommended values, it can actually be detrimental to your GI health and your ability to absorb some nutrients, while also potentially giving you a very bloated look if taken to the extreme.
What is the glycemic index?
The glycemic index is a value assigned to foods based on how slowly or how quickly those foods cause increases in blood glucose levels.
How does blood sugar affect you? How do low GI and high GI foods help and hurt different populations?
Also known as “blood sugar,” blood glucose levels above normal are toxic and can cause blindness, kidney failure, or increase cardiovascular risk. Foods low on the glycemic index (GI) scale tend to release glucose slowly and steadily. Foods high on the glycemic index release glucose rapidly. Low GI foods tend to foster weight loss, while foods high on the GI scale help with energy recovery after exercise, or to offset hypo- (or insufficient) glycemia. Long-distance runners would tend to favor foods high on the glycemic index, while people with pre- or full-blown diabetes would need to concentrate on low GI foods. Why? People with type 1 diabetes and even some with type 2 can’t produce sufficient quantities of insulin—which helps process blood sugar—which means they are likely to have an excess of blood glucose. The slow and steady release of glucose in low-glycemic foods is helpful in keeping blood glucose under control.
Should you count fiber towards your carb total?
Traditional nutrition often teaches that ber is not digestible by humans, but in fact some ber, while not digestible in the small intestine, is fermented in the colon and that by product provides energy. However, determining which bers provide calories and exactly how many is quite di cult. Because of this, my basic recommendation is to simply count your ber as carbohydrate, and to make sure you fall between the minimum and maximum ranges I’ve provided here.
