What is dietary fiber?
Dietary fiber refers to polysaccharide food ingredients that are not easily digested by the human body, including cellulose, hemicellulose, resin, pectin and lignin.
But unlike starch, it will not be absorbed by the human body, but will only pass through the digestive tract and will not provide calories to the human body.
The two categories of dietary fiber
Dietary fiber is divided into two categories: soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber.
Soluble dietary fiber includes pectin, bean gum, resin, etc., which are more abundant in foods such as beans, fruits, and kelp. This fiber can be dissolved in hot water and form a sticky substance in the stomach, delaying the absorption of lipids and glucose.
Insoluble dietary fiber includes cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose, which are more abundant in wheat, corn and fruit peel. They absorb water and swell in the stomach like a sponge, taking away intestinal waste, so they are very beneficial for preventing constipation and preventing colon cancer.
The benefits of dietary fiber to the human body
Dietary fiber helps diabetics effectively control the total calorie intake. For example, insoluble dietary fiber swells in the stomach, increasing satiety and reducing appetite.
Soluble dietary fiber forms colloids in the digestive tract, prolonging the time for the human body to absorb food, making diabetics feel less hungry for a longer period of time, and helping to control calorie intake.
At the same time, dietary fiber in the diet fully absorbs water, which helps to reduce postprandial blood sugar fluctuations, and can also increase insulin sensitivity and reduce postprandial blood sugar fluctuations.
Dietary fiber content in different foods
The dietary fiber content of cereals is generally around 3%~4%. Whole grains and wheat bran have more dietary fiber, while refined cereal foods have less.
For example, the dietary fiber content of sorghum rice is 4.3%, while rice is only 0.7%. Common cereals with more dietary fiber include bran, barley, buckwheat, oatmeal and cornmeal.
Different cooking methods will not destroy dietary fiber. In addition, try to eat vegetables and fruits with the skin, and try to eat beans with the skin to effectively increase the intake of dietary fiber.