Eating
an orange is more nutritious than drinking orange juice. While the juice
contains fructose, vitamins, minerals and a bunch of other nutrients, what gets
left behind is the all important dietary fibre, which though not really a
nutrient has a very important role to play in our diet. Dietary fibre or
roughage is an indigestible part of food that can be either soluble or
insoluble; both types are vital. Dietary fibre is present in more plant based
foods - vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, cereals and legumes are
all important sources of fibre.
Consciously
consuming vegetables and fruits on a daily basis ensures we get the needed
amount of soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre slows down digestion,
allowing the body to fully absorb nutrients from food and simultaneously
reduces the amount of fat and sugars absorbed into the blood stream. So next
time you eat a rich steak or a bowl of pasta, remember to eat a salad on the
side. Insoluble fibre on the other hand adds bulk to your meal. When you begin
with a portion of vegetables, fruits, seeds or other high fibre foods, you tend
to feel full and avoid eating excess carbohydrates or protein. This insoluble
fibre also keeps the digestive track clean and regulates bowel movements.
When you squeeze the juice out of fruits or vegetables, you lose out on roughage. It is always recommended that you eat fruits whole and make juices using the whole vegetable including the pulp. To maintain the fibre content in vegetables it is recommended that they be steamed, stir fried or grilled carefully, that is of course if you cannot consume the vegetable raw. The application of too much heat or overcooking vegetables reduces their fibre content. When adding vegetables to curries or soups do so towards the end, after the condiments, meat and curry base has cooked. This will ensure the vegetables don't overcook.
It
is for their high fibre content that whole grains are recommended over
processed or polished grains. Choose to eat brown rice or red rice instead of
white rice. You don't even need to reduce the portion you eat. Brown rice has a
higher percentage of fibre and a lower percentage of fat, carbohydrates and
starch than an equal portion of white rice. One can enhance food with added
fibre in many small ways. For example wheat bran, oat flour or millet flour can
be added to your daily rotis, bhakris or chapattis. When
making pita bread or a pizza base add semolina or replace refined flour with
whole wheat flour for healthier bread.
Oats,
prunes, lentils, green leafy vegetables, barley, dates, pears and broccoli are
some of foods with the highest fibre content. Eating these and other high fibre
foods has several health benefits. Starting this habit early by introducing
children to vegetables and fruits can keep them safe from so diseases like
diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart problems and obesity. If
you are already suffering from any of these diseases, high fibre foods are an
important part of the cure.