Raw vegetables are rich in fiber. What foods contain fiber, and why do we need it so much? Cook more variety of dishes based on

The table below shows which foods are high in fiber. Data are given in grams per specific volume.

This table shows quite clearly what foods have a lot of fiber. However, she does not say anything about which of these products should be preferred in order not only to saturate the body with plant fibers, but actually benefit it.

After all, a situation can always arise when you treat one thing and cripple another. When saturating the body with vegetable fiber with the help of products that also carry a large number of unhealthy compounds will do the body more harm than good.

So, we need to revise our table of foods rich in fiber, and leave in it only foods that are definitely useful for both weight loss and overall health. After all the necessary abbreviations, the table will become significantly shorter and will look something like this:

• berries;
• flax seeds, chia and other seeds;
• peanut butter;
• all types of cabbage;
• root crops and tubers;
• any nuts;
• peas and other legumes;
• avocado;
• tomatoes and cucumbers;
• any greenery.

Why did these foods, rich in plant fibers, remain in the table?

First of all, all foods that are high in carbohydrates were removed from the list, since. So in bulgur or spaghetti there can be as much fiber as you like, but these products are not suitable for losing weight and maintaining health.

In addition, fruits and were crossed out, since it contains too much, which is one of the most harmful "natural" compounds for the human body.

As a result, only berries were left in the table, in which there is a lot of fiber and little fructose. As well as avocados, in which there is no fructose, but there is a lot of fat useful for the body. For the same reason (wealth healthy fats), peanut butter was added separately to the table.
Also on the list are foods with fiber for the intestines, such as cucumbers and tomatoes.

Fiber is the hollow fibers of plant foods that a person needs for normal life. It improves digestion, stimulates peristalsis. Its deficiency threatens the development of anemia, gallstone disease, obesity, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and other no less formidable diseases. It would be useful to reconsider your diet and introduce plant foods with a lot of fiber into the menu.

Knowing which foods contain fiber will allow you to diversify your diet with health benefits. The list of those can be divided into subsections.

cereals

A lot of dietary fiber found in cereals such as wheat, oatmeal, pearl barley, buckwheat, rice and others.

It is important to eat porridge from whole grain. Crushed and processed in a special way cereals fast food do not contain fiber. They, while convenient in terms of cooking, do not have the same value as whole grains.

Bran

Bran is the residual raw material of the flour milling industry, representing the hard shell of the grain, which consists of 75-80% dietary fiber. All fiber-containing foods are useful, but bran is the leader in terms of impact.

Before use, it is recommended to steam the bran with boiling water. The mixture is consumed before meals with plenty of water. Bran is introduced into the diet gradually, starting with 1/2 tsp. and bringing, within a few weeks, up to 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day.

You can buy packaged bran in health food departments and pharmacies. different types: wheat, corn, barley, oat, rice. Often they are enriched with fruit and vegetable additives.

Table: Fiber in cereals and bran

Berries and fruits

Fiber will provide the body with fruit fruits (pears, apples, apricots, grapes, bananas), as well as berries (currants, raspberries, strawberries). The diet should contain dried fruits - raisins, dried apricots, dates.

A lot of fiber is contained in the peel, but it should be borne in mind that imported fruits are treated with special means for the purpose of transportation and long-term storage. It is better to cut the peel from overseas goods or wash it thoroughly under running water using a hard sponge.

Vegetables

Garden fruits are an excellent source of dietary fiber. It is useful to include potatoes, cabbage, carrots, beets, cucumbers, asparagus, spinach, as well as legumes - lentils, beans, peas in the menu.

At heat treatment hollow fibers are partially destroyed. Preference should be given to vegetables that can be eaten raw.

nuts

A sufficient amount of fiber can boast of walnuts and hazelnuts, cashews, raw almonds, peanuts, and pistachios, lightly fried without oil and salt.

In addition to the above, it is recommended to eat flax seeds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. When buying flour products, it is better to make a choice in favor of pasta from durum varieties wheat and whole wheat bread.

Soluble and insoluble fiber

It is customary to divide fiber into soluble and insoluble forms. The body needs both types of dietary fiber. The more varied the food on the table, the easier it is to strike a balance.

Table: Content of insoluble fiber in fruits and vegetables

Coarse plant fibers do not split. They adsorb water, increase the volume of feces. Passing through the intestines in transit, the fibers rid it of old toxins.

Table: Soluble fiber in foods (pectins)

Pectins predominate in the composition of soluble fiber. Their number varies depending on the variety, the degree of ripening of the product and other factors. In addition to pectins, dietary fibers contain inulin, mucus, gums, and natural resins. These substances are involved in the processes of blood purification, remove toxins and bile acids from tissues, and remove bad cholesterol.

Consumption rate

• Up to 4 years - 19 g;
• Up to 8 years - 25 g;
• Boys under 13 - 31 g;
• Adolescents and adult men - up to 38 g;
• Girls and women - daily 25-30 g.

During pregnancy, the amount of fiber consumed remains the same. Plant fibers improve bowel function and help the expectant mother cope with constipation.

Features of the absorption of fiber

Many people know that there are products with high and low glycemic index. The first give energy to the body very quickly, contribute to the deposition of fat and negatively affect the level of sugar.

High fiber foods have a low GI and are digested slowly. Due to the fact that the process of digestion of food takes place gradually, the load on the pancreas is reduced. For people prone to diabetes, fiber helps to avoid spikes in blood glucose.

Tip: When eating rich in fiber, you need to drink enough water - about 2.5 liters per day. Otherwise, food cellulose will lose its adsorbing function.

Contraindications and harm

The use of fiber should be limited for colitis, stomach ulcers, proctitis.

Consuming too much dietary fiber is fraught with consequences such as increased gas production, bloating, intestinal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.

If you take into account contraindications and adhere to the norm, fiber will not harm. Eating food rich in vegetable fibers activates metabolic processes, lowers cholesterol, helps digestion, which means it leads to healthy weight loss and prevents many diseases associated with the work of the intestines, heart and blood vessels.

In order not to experience problems with digestion, a person needs to consume a sufficient amount of fiber daily. To ensure the daily intake allows the inclusion in the diet of foods rich in fiber.

This is a special type of carbohydrate called dietary fiber that is not digested in the human body. They, entering the stomach, are transformed into sugar molecules, do not decompose, are excreted from the body.

Fiber normalizes blood sugar, which has a direct impact on feelings of satiety and hunger. Thanks to these special carbohydrates, food moves through the digestive tract (gastrointestinal tract). Deficiency of dietary fiber in the body provokes constipation, metabolic disorders.

Daily requirement for fiber

Adults and children, according to nutritionists, require about 20-30 g of dietary fiber daily. The diet of the average person, as a rule, does not include products that can cover this norm. Typically, people at any age consume a maximum of 15 g of fiber per day.

Physical activity increases the need for dietary fiber. For athletes involved in strength training, the daily rate rises to 38-40 g. This is due to an increase in the volume and caloric content of nutrition.

Fiber - synthesized or vegetable?

Fiber can be taken in the form of tablets and sports supplements. Synthesized analogues are inferior to plant sources of dietary fiber. In a 150-200 g jar, fiber accounts for 5-10%, that is, two daily norms.

In 100 g of additives, which are based on flax and thistle seeds, shells of millet grains, cake, there are 5-15 g of dietary fiber. As part of the product, they are included as a carbohydrate, and, therefore, a teaspoon contains 1-2 g of fiber.

Why is a modern person deficient in fiber?

The reason lies in the diet, which consists of sweets, snacks, refined flour products, white rice for garnish, packaged juices and other foods that are practically devoid of vitamins and fiber. It is impossible to make up for this deficiency by taking complex vitamins and synthesized fiber.

If there are no vegetables on the menu, and fruits are consumed in candied or other form with fast carbohydrates, this negatively affects health, increases the risk of developing diabetes, diseases of the cardiovascular system, and obesity. This can be avoided by eating natural food, which forms a healthy and balanced diet.

What foods contain the most fiber?

Legumes, Turkish and regular peas, whole grains Wheat flour, bran and avocados contain about 10-15% of dietary fiber from their own dry weight. small portion any of these products allows you to get about 5-10 g of this carbohydrate.

Fiber comes from lettuce, white and cauliflower, unpeeled potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, broccoli, pumpkins, carrots, green beans, asparagus, whole wheat pasta, pears, bananas, apples, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, raisins , mango, nuts.

Proper use of fiber

An excess of fiber also has its negative consequences. Eating a lot of dietary fiber can cause bloating. This particular carbohydrate reduces the absorption of nutrients that athletes on a muscle-building diet need.

The daily rate is best consumed in several doses:

• 5 g at breakfast - porridge or muesli;
• 10-15 g for lunch - legumes or brown rice, fruits;
• 10 to 15 g at dinner - avocado, green vegetables.

The menu may vary. The main thing is to follow the recommended rate.

Fiber tables

Tabular data are based on "ideal indicators" and cannot be taken as a source of 100% truthful information. The amount of dietary fiber depends on the method of cultivation and further preparation. Cooking softens the fiber, which makes it easier for the body to digest and absorb this carbohydrate.

Not all tables are correct. In many, grapefruit is placed at the top of the list of sources of fiber. One hundred grams of the fruit contains a maximum of 1.5 g. It is better to focus on which foods have more fiber than just numbers.

Conclusion

Fiber is essential for maintaining the normal function of the digestive system. It cannot be fully replaced by synthesized analogues, but must be supplied to the body along with natural food.

Dietary fiber, or water-soluble and water-insoluble fibers, is not affected by the enzymes of the gastrointestinal tract. They bind waste, help to remove it from the body. Fiber-rich foods cleanse the intestinal walls, are necessary for the digestive system, metabolic processes, prevention of hemorrhoids, colon tumors, myocardial infarction,.

What is fiber

The cell membranes of plants, with the exception of algae, are made up of fiber. This is a fairly strong and rigid substance.

With a strong increase, it looks like a bundle of long fibers connected to each other. They are elastic and durable, resistant to the action of digestive enzymes.

Fiber gives little energy, is poorly absorbed. But dietary fiber is necessary for the life of the body, the prevention of various diseases.

There are six types of dietary fiber: cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins, lignin, mucus, gums.

The walls of plant cells are made up of cellulose. Hemicellulose, pectins and lignin are intercellular. Mucus is isolated from seaweed and seeds of some plants. Gum - from the stems and seeds of tropical flora.

Dietary fiber absorbs moisture well, doubles the volume. The shells of grains (bran) are able to absorb water five times their weight.

Flour products contain almost no fiber. In products of animal origin, it is completely absent.

insoluble fiber

Water-insoluble fibers - cellulose, lignin - are part of cabbage, green peas, apples, carrots, cucumber peels.

Cellulose belongs to carbohydrates, it absorbs water well, gives the waste volume and the necessary moisture, accelerates their passage and evacuation from the intestines.

Lignin is not a carbohydrate, binds bile acids well, and helps to lower blood levels. Reduces the risk of gallstone formation. During storage, its amount in vegetables increases.

Insoluble fiber normalizes. It is needed to prevent chronic constipation, which affects up to half of the adult population.

Every day, the body gets rid of the mass of waste products that are formed after the breakdown of food. The volume of waste products increased by insoluble fiber stimulates peristalsis - a wave-like contraction of the intestinal walls, makes regular bowel movements necessary, and prevents constipation.

The use of foods containing insoluble fiber cleanses the intestinal walls. A "washcloth" made of fibers effectively captures and evacuates waste.

Maintaining the use of fiber of natural physiological processes in the intestine increases the body's defenses, strengthens.

Waste not evacuated in a timely manner rots, ferments, pathogenic microflora develops in the intestines.

In turn, it produces a lot of waste that destroys the mucous membrane, is absorbed into the bloodstream, and contributes to the development of diseases of the digestive system, the formation of a tumor.

Water soluble fibers

Water-soluble fibers - pectins, resins (legumes), alginase (algae), hemicellulose (, barley) - when water is absorbed, they do not swell like cellulose, but turn into bulk jelly with astringent properties. They slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and fats, give a quick feeling of fullness, and contain few calories.

After their use, the level of sugar in the blood slowly rises. The amount of insulin, which contributes to the deposition of fats, decreases, excess weight does not accumulate.

The plant needs pectin substances for firmness and elasticity of tissues, to counteract drought. Pectins and resins contribute to long-term storage of the product.

In the large intestine, microflora breaks down pectins, maintaining the acid balance. In turn, the acidic environment contributes to the destruction of pathogens.

Foods rich in water-soluble fiber normalize the activity of the internal microflora, help to cope with flatulence, and reduce the content of putrefactive bacteria in the intestine.

Rules for eating foods with fiber

It is believed that during the day it is necessary to consume foods containing a total of up to 30 g of fiber.

Some researchers believe that the rate of dietary fiber intake depends on age and recommend taking fiber:

• up to 50 years: women - 25 g, men - 38 g;
• after 50 years: women - 21 g, men - 30 g.

The beneficial effect of dietary fiber is enhanced if the products contain vitamins C and E, beta-carotene.

How to take fiber

Nutrition should remain varied, consist of various types of greens, fruits, vegetables, cereals. It is preferable to consume a whole fresh vegetable or fruit, do not puree or juice them.

Nutritionists suggest adhering to the following rules for taking fiber (as a fraction of the daily diet):

• vegetable salads, greens - 1/4;
• fresh fruit - 1/4;
• root crops subjected to heat treatment - 1/4;

The remaining 1/4 of the daily diet is formed by:

• carbohydrates: cereals, bread, sugar - 1/10;
• : nuts, milk and dairy products – 1/10;
• fats: animal and vegetable fats - 1/20.

Include fiber in the diet should be gradually and reach the recommended level within a month or two. Otherwise, it may swell, the chair will break.

The benefits of fiber

The inclusion of dietary fiber products in the diet is especially necessary for the female body. Fiber accelerates the excretion of excess sex hormones estrogens - a common cause of tumors of the genital area in women.

Estrogens end up in the intestines with bile. The use of foods rich in dietary fiber removes hormones from the intestines, their level in the blood drops.

When estrogens are retained in the intestine for a day or longer, they are reabsorbed into the blood.

Thus, the more plant fibers in the diet, the lower the risk of developing tumors, as well as heart disease.

Raw foods not subjected to heat and machining(mashed potatoes), contain more healthy fiber. There is a lot of it in cereals.

• Oatmeal contains a lot of fiber, which envelops and relieves inflammation of the gastric mucosa.
• Wheat porridge promotes the activity of the brain, heart, blood vessels, organs of the digestive system.
• Millet porridge improves intestinal motility, normalizes fat metabolism, blood glucose levels.
• Barley porridge is especially useful for metabolic disorders, creates a feeling of satiety for a long time, and has a slight laxative effect.

Berries, nuts, fruits, raisins can be added to cereals.

It is worth giving up cakes and buns. Eat bread with bran or wholemeal flour.

Fiber foods are good to eat throughout the day, not just for breakfast.

A low-fat, high-fiber diet is helpful in treating diabetes.

Fiber and constipation

The cause of constipation - stool retention for more than two days, difficulty emptying the intestines - may be a lack of fiber products, taking certain medications.

With stool retention, the colonic mucosa is in contact with feces for a long time, gradually being destroyed by the action of carcinogens.

If you are prone to constipation, you should exclude or limit easily digestible foods - fish and meat soups, White bread, mashed potatoes etc.

At the same time, include foods rich in vegetable fiber. For example, nuts. They are high in calories, but contain a lot of dietary fiber. A table showing which foods contain fiber is presented later in this article.

On the other hand, including dietary fiber in your diet for general wellness can cause constipation if you do not drink enough fluids - up to 2 liters per day.

A certain indicator of sufficient fluid intake is the color of urine. If it is light, there is enough water. A rich yellow tint indicates a lack of moisture.

You should not take liquid immediately after eating fruits (for example, apples), so as not to cause increased gas formation.

Popular fiber recipes for constipation

Worth a try when constipating following recipes with foods that contain fiber.

1. Grate coarsely 100g carrots and 100g cucumbers, add 5g, 5g seeds. Eat at night.
2. Grate 200g of fresh pumpkin with peel, add 100g of grated boiled. Consume within three doses.
3. Coarsely grate 300g boiled beets, add 50g walnuts without shell, 150g prunes. Consume 100g of the mixture three times a day. Treat for two days.

List and table of foods containing fiber

Often, soluble and insoluble fibers are included in the composition of a vegetable or fruit at the same time. For example, the peel of apples contains insoluble fibers, while the pulp contains soluble fibers.

On the other hand, the peel of purchased vegetables and fruits may contain harmful substances. For example, cucumbers cleanse the entire body, have a diuretic effect. But their peel accumulates nitrates, so it is better to peel a purchased cucumber before eating.

Below is a list various products containing dietary fiber:

Proper use of bran

Bran is a product that is richest in fiber. Their reception facilitates defecation, normalizes metabolism.

Ground bran. Before use, boil the recommended daily dose with boiling water. After half an hour, drain the water, squeeze the bran a little. In this form, add to kefir, cereals, salads.

Fry the bran purchased in the store on a baking sheet in the oven at a temperature of 200C for 10 minutes. Store in a cloth bag on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

Granulated bran. Immediately before use, add to kefir, milk, soup. Often they include sea ​​kale, vitamins that make the product healthier.

Bran is sold in pharmacies or supermarkets.

It is worth starting to take bran gradually, brewing 1 tsp three times a day. Within two weeks, increase the daily dose to 3 s.l. After two months, stop taking it, eat other foods rich in fiber.

Wheat bran has the softest plant fibers. Rye bran is easily digestible. The coarsest structure in oat bran.

For recovery and weight loss, it is better to start with a wheat or rye variety.

Harm and contraindications

Some for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract include foods rich in fiber in the diet. Despite the increase in complaints, they continue to take plant fibers, which are so beneficial to the body.

In this case, it is worth using less useful products that have undergone mechanical and heat treatment than to be treated with coarse insoluble fiber, to injure the weakened mucosa of the digestive system with it.

Prolonged high fiber intake, and as a result, a long-term violation of the principles rational nutrition can lead to alimentary diseases - associated with improper or insufficient nutrition.

The intake of foods containing fiber should be limited in case of inflammatory bowel diseases, accelerated peristalsis.

Vegetable fibers should not be included in the diet of children under 5-6 months, as it can cause diarrhea, intestinal colic (paroxysmal pain). It is better to give clarified juices without pulp to small ones.

Eating foods rich in fiber can cause.

In the elderly, taking large amounts of plant fiber for constipation can lead to fecal incontinence.

You should not take foods with vegetable fibers during exacerbation and duodenal ulcer. During periods of remission (weakening or complete disappearance of symptoms), reception is possible.

With diarrhea, vegetable fibers are contraindicated until the consistency of the stool is fully restored.

Insoluble fiber is rough for the digestive tract and irritates the intestinal wall. The organism receives an incentive to get rid of its contents as soon as possible.

With prolonged use, the body thickens the mucous membrane, its sensitivity decreases. At the same time, its ability to absorb nutrients deteriorates.

At a certain point, you have to increase the dose, otherwise the proven way to get rid of constipation stops working.

Decreased digestibility of food, spasms, as well as ulcerative colitis, adhesions of the intestinal walls, and other diseases of the digestive system may be the result of the use of excessively coarse insoluble fiber. Or, conversely, insufficient intake of dietary fiber.

Fiber is a dietary fiber made up of complex carbohydrates. These are food components that are not digested by digestive enzymes in the human stomach, but are processed by beneficial intestinal microflora.

Fiber well cleanses the intestines from food debris, waste products and toxins, it is considered an indispensable element in healthy eating and has many useful properties.

If the body is not periodically cleansed, then slagging occurs, which threatens the development of various problems with the gastrointestinal tract, a sharp decrease in immunity, the manifestation of allergies and skin irritations. By the way, many skin problems - acne, pimples, greasiness, seborrhea - are the result of an uncleaned intestine. In this article, you will learn which foods contain fiber.

Beneficial features

So what are the benefits of fiber-rich foods? Main useful property– improve digestion and prevent constipation. This is especially important for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

During pregnancy, it is very important to establish proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract so that the fetus does not experience pressure from the intestines. And during the period of breastfeeding in the female body, hormonal failure occurs, the level of glucose in the blood rises slightly.

A sufficient amount of fiber allows you to keep your sugar levels normal and get rid of bad cholesterol.

Fiber is simply necessary for people who want to lose weight. There is an interesting nuance here: food rich in fiber needs to be chewed longer, which means that the brain receives a signal of satiety much earlier, you just don’t want to eat more.

What are the types?

Dietary fiber is divided into 2 types:

1. Soluble.
2. Insoluble.

Soluble fiber is fiber that can dissolve in liquid. This type of dietary fiber contains the following products: fruits (apples, pears, peaches, citrus fruits), legumes (lentils, peas), cereals (oats, barley, rye). The most famous component of such fiber is pectin. What is this substance in? Pectin is found in apples, red and blackcurrant, citrus fruits, that is, in those fruits and berries, from which it is good to prepare a variety of jelly different dishes(for example, natural apple marshmallow- healthy food).

Insoluble fibers are essential for proper intestinal motility.

They do not dissolve in liquid and perfectly and quickly cleanse the intestines. This type of fiber contains all types of cabbage, greens, beans, nuts, bran.

What foods contain these food ingredients?

So, you are convinced that fiber is very important for our body. Let's learn more about which foods contain fiber.

A lot of fiber is found in vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains. Products containing vegetable fiber:

• Of course, vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, beets.
• Fruits: pear, grape, apple, peach, fig.
• Dried fruits: raisins, prunes, dried apricots.
• Highly more quantity dietary fiber is found in buckwheat, oatmeal, bran.

Please note that foods that contain fiber should be consumed fresh. During heat treatment, the fibers are modified and lose their valuable properties.

List of products by the amount of these beneficial fibers:

• legumes - 13%;
• white rice and wheat - 9%;
• oats and barley - 8-10%;
• almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts – 12–16 %;
• fresh vegetables - 3-7%;
• berries (fiber is found in large quantities in raspberries and blackberries) - 2-6%;
• fruits and citrus fruits (record holders are bananas and peaches) - 6–11%.

Consumption rate

Improving the children's menu

It's good when a child eats absolutely everything, but this is rare. But fiber is also very important for the child's body, as dietary fiber prevents the appearance of dysbacteriosis and helps to cope with constipation.

When should you start adding fiber foods to your child's diet? Answer: from 9 months. Children aged 9 months to 3 years need to eat about 19 grams of fiber every day, and after 8 years - 26 grams. Remember that food should be natural, without any additives. Try to adhere to the following recommendations:

• Slowly add vegetables and fruits to different meals for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
• From 9 months, start complementary foods with a variety of cereals that are rich in fiber: corn, oatmeal, buckwheat.
• It is best to avoid sweets altogether. Make it a rule to put a plate with a variety of fruits in a conspicuous place between meals. Believe me, the result will not be long in coming. Instead of cookies, rolls, sandwiches, the child will snack on delicious fruit slices.

Side effects and contraindications

Fiber is very useful for proper bowel function. But everything is good in moderation. It is not recommended to immediately consume a lot of foods containing dietary fiber. Such food can lead to such troubles as flatulence, bloating or intestinal spasm.

Fiber should be introduced into the diet gradually. At the same time, it is very important to establish a drinking regimen so that there is enough fluid in the intestines. If you do not follow this rule, then the abundance of dietary fiber can provoke indigestion or volvulus. The optimal amount of water per day is 2-3 liters.

Right choice

Shops all year round offer us a wide selection of a wide variety of vegetables and fruits.

But it is worth remembering that not all of them are equally useful. Avocados, mangoes, pineapples, bananas are grown too far from where we live. They take a long time to transport, they are harvested immature and treated with chemicals to preserve their presentation.

The best choice is seasonal vegetables and fruits that have ripened in the strip where you live. They are much healthier and more nutritious than overseas curiosities. Try to buy products from trusted suppliers, ask for quality certificates, and even better, grow crops on your own plot. So you will definitely be sure of freshness and quality.

Fiber in food really plays a very important role in the body.

If it is not enough, problems with the stomach and intestines begin, a person gains weight and cannot get rid of it for a long time, various rashes appear on the skin, allergies appear and depression torments.

Eat right yourself, teach children to healthy food from an early age. Remember that many diseases will not appear at all if you take care of observing the simplest rules in advance.