|
|
High soluble fiber diet Q&A
The
American diet is notoriously deficient in dietary fiber. To make
up for the deficiency, foods such as soy and oatmeal have been routinely
introduced to supplement it with soluble fiber.
Most
foods contain a mixture of soluble and insoluble fiber, which together
make up the dietary fiber family. Soluble fiber is different from insoluble fiber and can cause disorders
such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and trigger diarrhea. Insoluble
fiber plays little or no role in the regulation of blood glucose or
lowering of cholesterol.
A diet high in soluble fiber is beneficial for several reasons.
Soluble fiber ingested in large amounts can decrease blood cholesterol.
Soluble fiber is also beneficial in moderating levels of blood glucose.
When consumed in large amounts, soluble fiber slows glucose absorption
from the small intestine.
What
is soluble fiber?
What are
the benefits of high soluble fiber diet?
What are the health benefits of soluble fiber approved
by FDA?
How do soluble fibers lower
cholesterol?
How does soluble fiber regulate
blood sugar?
How
does soluble fiber help control diabetes?
Can
high soluble fiber diet help control obesity?
How can soluble fiber help
Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
How can soluble fiber help
hypoglycemia?
What
is the downside of soluble fiber?
What are the natural food
resources of soluble fiber?
Can I increase my intake
of soluble fiber without increasing my calorie intake?
How can I make konjac foods
myself?
What
is soluble fiber?
Soluble fiber comes from the storage materials of the plant used to
store water.
Soluble fiber dissolves and thickens in water, and can form a
gel, include gums, pectins, mucilages.
There are three major properties of water-soluble fiber, namely, water-holding
ability, viscosity and ferment ability. Soluble fiber attracts water
and turns to gel during digestion. Most soluble fibers are completely fermented, except psyllium (soluble
fiber) which is only partially fermented.
Gum, pectin, mucilage
and some kinds hemicelluloses are soluble fibers.
What
are the benefits of high soluble fiber diet?
Independent
studies indicate that soluble fiber may help lower blood cholesterol,
a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
A diet rich in soluble fiber has numerous health benefits such as
its effectiveness in controlling obesity, stroke, diabetes, cancer
and gastrointestinal disorders.
What
are the health benefits of soluble
fiber approved by FDA?
The US Food and Drug Administration
has authorized the following claims that food manufacturers can place
on their labels:
-
Diets low in saturated
fat and cholesterol and rich in fruits, vegetables and grain products
that contain fiber, particularly SOLUBLE fiber, may reduce the risk
of coronary heart disease.
-
Diets low in saturated
fat and cholesterol that include 3g of soluble fiber from whole
oats per day may reduce the risk of heart disease.
-
A low-fat diet rich
in fruits, vegetables and whole grain containing fiber (particularly
SOLUBLE fiber) may lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce risk
of heart diseases. This type of diet may also reduce the risk of
some types of cancer.
-
Diets low in saturated
fat and cholesterol that include a daily intake of soluble fiber
from whole oats or psyllium seed may reduce the risk of heart disease.
How do soluble fibers
lower cholesterol?
Independent medical research has concluded that
water-soluble fiber appears to have a
greater potential to reduce post pardinal blood glucose, insulin,
and serum lipid levels as compared to insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber has been scientifically proven to reduce blood cholesterol
levels, which may help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Glucomannan has the highest viscosity among dietary soluble fiber.
That makes it one of the most efficient soluble fibers for reducing
cholesterol levels.
How does soluble fiber regulate blood sugar?
-
Diets low in
saturated fat and cholesterol that include a daily intake of soluble
fiber from whole oats or psyllium seed may reduce the risk of
heart disease.
-
Soluble fiber slows the passage of food into the intestine, leading to
greater control over the amount of glucose entering the blood
stream.
-
Higher consumption of sugary foods can cause
drastic highs and lows in your insulin levels. By controlling
blood sugar, soluble fiber takes the edge off your cravings. This
makes it a lot easier to avoid snacking on high calorie foods.
-
It improves mineral absorption by slowing down
the passage of food into the colon. Better mineral absorption
leads to smooth functioning of many enzymes and hormones, which
play an active role in effective digestion and absorption.
How
does soluble fiber help
control diabetes?
Soluble fiber along with complex carbohydrates (starches) can
make the hormone insulin work better. This allows patients to take
less diabetes medication while keeping their blood sugar normal. Persons
with diabetes often have sharp rises of blood sugar following meals.
Increased soluble fiber in meals slows down the release of food into
the intestine and keeps the blood sugar from rising rapidly.
Can
high soluble fiber diet help control obesity?
Soluble fiber has a 3-way mechanism for controlling
obesity
- Fiber is the
only component of food that makes a person feel full without contributing
calories.
- Soluble fiber
also takes the edge off your cravings for snacks by effectively
controlling your blood sugar. It gives an indirect boost to your
fat metabolism by attaching to fat and reducing the ratio which
is stored as fat deposits.
- Soluble fiber
displaces fat and sugar calories that may contribute to weight gain.
How can
soluble fiber help Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
Insoluble fiber and soluble fiber have totally different effects on
IBS.
Soluble fiber is the single greatest dietary aid
for preventing IBS symptoms as well as relieving them once they occur.
Always eat soluble fiber first, eat soluble fiber whenever
your stomach is empty, and make soluble fiber foods the largest component
of every meal and snack.
Konjac food consisting of glucomannan and water only, are the ideal
food for IBS.
Insoluble fiber can induce IBS and diarrhea.
Never eat insoluble fiber on an empty stomach, in large quantities
at one sitting, or without soluble fiber.
How
can soluble fiber help hypoglycemia?
Soluble fiber helps hypoglycemia by delaying
gastric emptying, slowing glucose absorption, and minimizing drastic
blood glucose swings.
What is the downside
of soluble fiber?
A high-fiber diet causes gas because the carbohydrates
in high-fiber foods cannot be completely digested in the stomach and
small intestine.
What
are the natural food resources of soluble fiber?
Soluble fiber
is found in oats, oatmeal, oat bran, beans, legumes, barley, citrus
fruits and certain fruits, psyllium, vegetable gum include konjac gum,
pectin, guar gum and gum arabic, to name a few. Oats have the highest proportion of soluble fiber among cereals.
Usually, soluble fiber is hard to get from foods.
Normal food has a very small percentage soluble fiber. The cereal
containing highest level of soluble fiber is oat bran, which has about
14% soluble fiber. All other food grains contain much less soluble
fiber than oat bran.
Glucomannan is soluble fiber derived from the konjac plant (tuber).
Fresh konjac contains an average of 13% dry matter, 64% of the dry
matter is glucomannan, 30% is starch. That makes Glucomannan the richest
soluble fiber resource in nature.
Glucomannan
has the highest water holding capacity and the highest molecular weight
among all dietary fibers. These properties help to increase its effectiveness
against stroke, cancer, diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders.
|
FIBER
CONTENT OF FOODS
|
|
Serving
Size
|
Total
Fiber (g)
|
Soluable
Fiber (g)
|
Insoluble
Fiber (g)
|
|
Breads,
Cereals, and Pasta
|
|
White
bread
|
1
slice
|
0.53
|
0.03
|
0.5
|
|
Rye
bread
|
1
slice
|
2.7
|
0.8
|
1.9
|
|
Whole
grain bread
|
1
slice
|
2.9
|
0.08
|
2.8
|
|
French
bread
|
1
slice
|
1.0
|
0.4
|
0.6
|
|
Dinner
roll
|
1
roll
|
0.8
|
0.03
|
0.8
|
|
White
rice
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
0.
5
|
0.5
|
0.0
|
|
Brown
rice
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
1.3
|
1.3
|
0.0
|
|
Egg
noodles
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
0.8
|
0.3
|
0.8
|
|
Spaghetti
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
0.8
|
0.02
|
0.8
|
|
Bran
(100%) cereal
|
1/2
cup
|
10.0
|
0.3
|
9.7
|
|
Oats,
whole
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
1.6
|
0.5
|
1.1
|
|
Corn
grits
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
1.9
|
0.61
|
0.3
|
|
Graham
crackers
|
2
|
1.4
|
0.04
|
1.4
|
|
Rye
wafers
|
3
|
2.3
|
0.06
|
2.2
|
|
Popcorn
|
3
cups
|
2.8
|
0.8
|
2.0
|
|
|
|
Fruits
|
|
Apple
|
1
small
|
3.9
|
2.3
|
1.6
|
|
Apricots
|
2
medium
|
1.3
|
0.9
|
0.4
|
|
Banana
|
1
small
|
1.3
|
0.6
|
0.7
|
|
Blackberries
|
1/2
cup
|
3.7
|
0.7
|
3.0
|
|
Cherries
|
10
|
0.9
|
0.3
|
0.6
|
|
Grapefruit
|
1/2
fruit
|
1.3
|
0.90
|
0.4
|
|
Peach
|
1
medium
|
1.0
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
|
Pear
|
1
small
|
2.5
|
0.6
|
1.9
|
|
Pineapple
|
1/2
cup
|
0.8
|
0.2
|
0.6
|
|
Plums
|
2
medium
|
2.3
|
1.3
|
1.0
|
|
Strawberries
|
3/4
cup
|
2.4
|
0.9
|
1.5
|
|
Tangerine
|
1
medium
|
1.6
|
1.4
|
0.4
|
|
|
|
Legumes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kidney
beans
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
4.5
|
0.5
|
4.0
|
|
Lima
beans
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
1.4
|
0.2
|
1.2
|
|
Pinto
beans
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
3.0
|
2.2
|
0.7
|
|
White
beans
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
4.2
|
0.4
|
3.8
|
|
|
|
Vegetables
|
|
|
|
|
|
Broccoli
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
2.6
|
1.6
|
1.0
|
|
Lettuce
|
1
cup raw
|
0.5
|
0.2
|
0.3
|
|
Parsnips
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
4.4
|
0.4
|
4.0
|
|
Peas
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
5.2
|
2.0
|
3.2
|
|
Potatoes
|
1
small
|
3.8
|
2.2
|
1.6
|
|
Squash,
summer
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
2.3
|
1.1
|
1.2
|
|
Zucchini
|
1/2
cup cooked
|
2.5
|
1.1
|
1.4
|
Oats
have the highest proportion of soluble fiber of any grain.
|
High
Fiber Foods
(per
100 grams)
|
Total
Fiber
(grams)
|
Water-Soluble
Fiber (grams)
|
Soluble
fiber percentage
|
|
Oat
Bran
|
27.8
|
14.0
|
14.0%
|
|
Rolled
Oats
|
13.9
|
7.7
|
7.7%
|
|
Cornflakes
|
12.2
|
7.2
|
7.2%
|
|
Grapenuts
|
13.0
|
5.6
|
5.6%
|
|
Pinto,
Kidney & Lima Beans
|
8.7
~ 10.1
|
5.6
|
5.6%
|
|
Corn
|
3.3
|
1.8
|
1.8%
|
|
Apple
|
2.0
|
0.9
|
0.9%
|
|
Orange
|
2.0
|
0.6
|
0.6%
|
|
Banana
|
1.8
|
0.8
|
0.8%
|
Can I increase my intake
of soluble fiber without increasing my calorie intake?
Regular food has a very small percentage soluble fiber.
In order to meet your daily requirement of soluble fiber, you need
to increase the intake of calories in the form of carbohydrates such
as sugar and starch. This is the root cause of weight gain.
On the other hand, Glucomannan is a very pure form of soluble
fiber with zero calories. It enables you to increase your intake of
soluble fiber without adding extra calories to your diet!
The primary component of the konjac root is glucomannan, a soluble
fiber consisting of glucose and mannose subunits. Glucomannan is a
high molecular weight polysaccharide consisting primarily of mannose
and glucose sugars and is a source of soluble dietary fiber.
Glucomannan is nature’s most viscous soluble fiber, with the highest
water holding capacity, and largest molecular weight among any dietary
fiber.
Konjac foods are made of glucomannan derived from the tuber
(root) of konjac plant, which originated in China and Japan.
Konjac foods has been used for more than 2,000 years in
China and Japan as part of a healthy diet. In the United States konjac
flour has been used as a thickening and gelling agent in processed
foods for many years.
With konjac food in your diet, you can enjoy benefit of soluble fiber
in your diet without adding any extra calories or undesirable colors
or flavors. It is the ideal food for diabetes, heart disease, obesity
and IBS.
Konjac foods are the healthier, tastier and
more convenient way to
-
Eat healthy without making drastic changes to your eating
habits
-
Find tastier, convenient and affordable alternatives
to ‘health foods’
-
Fight flab and control ‘bad’ cholesterol
-
Discover natural ways to prevent stroke, cancer, diabetes
and painful gastrointestinal diseases such as constipation, gallstones
and IBS.
How can I make konjac
foods myself?
You can easily
prepare konjac foods at home using the following simple recipe!
Ingredients:
A) 1 tablespoon
of glucomannan
(which contains about 6 grams of soluble fiber.)
B) ¼ teaspoon of Pickling
lime. Pickling lime is food grade
lime.
Food grade lime is mild alkali. Its
main component is calcium Hydroxide.
You can purchase pickling
lime and glucomannan from:
Mrs
Wages brand Pickling lime
Ball
100% Natural® Pickling Lime
Konjac
glucomannan powder
Procedure:
Add 1 tablespoon
of konjac flour (glucomannan powder) into water bath, then add two
cups of water. Stir continuously and bring it to boiling. Keep boiling
for about 3 min.
How to
prepare the limewater:
In a separate vessel, add 1/4 teaspoon of pickling lime into 5 tablespoons
of water. Mix well. This limewater is necessary to induce gel formation
in glucomannan.
Add limewater
into the boiling bath and continue stirring for about 5 minutes without
taking it off the flame.
A thermally stable (non-reversible) gel is formed after the mixture
is cooled down.
You can cut this gel into
small pieces, dip in water or steam about 3-5 minutes and then
cook in the way you like. You can add various vegetables and meat
according to your preference,You
can also add a flavored dressing and enjoy a calorie-free snack!
Konjac foods can be fried, baked, stewed, braised and also used as
a cold dressing with a sauce.
Commercial konjac foods can be made into many different styles and
shapes, thread, ball, patch, hollow, cakes, noodles, slices, chips,
tofu. Commercial konjac foods can be found on some Asian super market,
or can be found more information online konjac
foods
You can also add glucomannan gel to soups, puddings, gravies etc for
increasing the soluble fiber content of your regular diet!
|