A-Z dietary fiber Articles

Baobab fruit is a fairly new superfood to North America, but has legendary medicinal properties that are well known to the people of Africa, who commonly refer to the tree it grows on as “The Tree of Life”. Interestingly, most of these trees (Adansonia digitata) are 200-500 years old and actually store water in their trunks. In fact, one of these trees alone can store approximately 4,500 liters of water!

What Is Baobab Fruit?

Baobab fruit is a fruit that is native to Africa, Madagascar, Arabia and Australia. This well known African super fruit is packed with nutrients including twice the amount of calcium normally found in milk, six times the vitamin C naturally found in oranges, six times the potassium found in bananas and is an excellent source of B vitamins, iron and magnesium. It is also an excellent source of protein, fibre and essential fatty acids.

The antioxidant content of Baobab fruit is incredibly significant. In fact, Baobab fruit has six times the antioxidants found in blueberries and cranberries and even has twice the antioxidants of acai berry! Baobab fruit truly is a potent antioxidant, with an ORAC value (a way of measuring antioxidant levels) of 1,400/gram, blueberries weigh in with ORAC values of 65/gram, pomegranates are 105/gram and goji berries are 125/gram. Clearly, Baobab fruit is the new antioxidant king of fruits!

Health Benefits of Baobab Fruit

This nutrient dense super fruit is used as a nutrient supplement to enhance the diet. It can increase overall energy, boost immunity, reduce inflammation, increase mental clarity, maintain healthy blood sugar levels and create a feeling of fullness.

If you are looking to try a new superfood in your smoothie, this fruit truly has the most to offer in overall nutrient and antioxidant content.

Active Properties

The medicinal properties of Baobab fruit can be attributed to its high antioxidant levels as well as its vitamin and mineral content. It is the phytonutrients within foods that will improve immunity, reduce inflammation and boost energy. Regularly adding superfoods, like baobab fruit, to your diet is an excellent strategy to increase the nutrition in your diet.

Also, Baobab fruit is 50% fiber, of which 75% is soluble fiber and 25% is insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is known to reduce cholesterol, maintain healthy blood sugar levels and helps to fill your stomach to create a feeling of fullness.

How Do I Take Baobab Fruit?

It has a unique tangy fruit flavor that some describe as, “caramel pear with subtle tones of grapefruit”. In Africa, you can experience this fruit first hand; otherwise you will find it in powder form. You can add 1-3 teaspoons to smoothies, juices, nut milks, yogurt, or sprinkled on oatmeal or cereal. You can also add it to muffins, homemade energy bars and other baking, however heat will destroy antioxidants.

What is Rice Bran?

Rice bran is the hard outer layer of rice grains that can be left intact and milled along with the rest of the grain to produce brown rice. The bran is not the same thing as the husk, which is not used as a food source. It can also be separated from the rice and milled to create a source of fibre, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. In fact, the it contains over 60% of the nutrients contained in rice. The remaining grain after the bran is removed is known as white rice.

Rice Bran Health Benefits

Fibre

Rice bran is an excellent source of fibre, with 2 Tbsp containing 4g of dietary fibre. The health benefits of fibre have been well established. It can be used to support constipation, gallstones, and diabetes. It can also help with weight loss and blood sugar regulation, and it has also been found to be equally as effective as oat bran for lowering high cholesterol as well. Because rice bran can help to prevent the proper absorption of calcium, it can also be used to help prevent the formation of calcium kidney stones. This type of fibre can also bind toxins present in the gut and help to detoxify the body.

Oil

The oil made from rice bran is popular as health-improving oil in Japan, Asia and India. It can be applied to the skin as a moisturizer that can also treat eczema and allergic dermatitis. When ingested, the oil in it may be able to help reduce cholesterol absorption and increase its elimination.

Supplement Varieties

Rice bran can be found in a number of different supplements in a powder or capsule form. It can be used alone or found in combination supplements such as those for weight loss, cholesterol lowering or proper bowel function. It can be taken between 12 and 84 grams a day to have cholesterol-lowering effects. Be sure to drink sufficient water when taking any fibre supplement to allow for proper colon function and prevent bowel obstruction. This oil can be used topically as needed or taken orally at 5g per day.

Cautions & Considerations

The high oil content in the bran leaves it vulnerable to going rancid over time. This was originally why it was separated from the rest of the rice grain before storage. Storing rice bran and the oil in the refrigerator will help to slow this process and keep it fresh for longer. Many supplements are processed in a way to help preserve these fats from rancidification.

Chitosan is a dietary fibre derived from chitin, which is the molecule that forms the outer shells of crustaceans (shellfish). The structure of this nutrient is made of N-acetylglucosamine (NAG), bound to glucosamine. 

Interestingly, chitosan, which is also known as “polyglucosamine” (PG), has not been shown to have the same medicinal benefits as its subunits. Instead, it is an excellent source of dietary fibre with the ability to help promote weight loss and lower high cholesterol levels.

Key Health Benefits of Chitosan

High In Fibre

This source of dietary fibre that can help aid digestion. Thus, it can help to stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce cholesterol help to normalize digestive function and maintain a feeling of fullness after eating. Research has shown that taking this supplement for longer than 4 weeks can reduce total cholesterol in those with high cholesterol by up to 6 points.

Weight Loss and Exercise Boosting

This supplement has been found to help weight loss, particularly when combined with a healthy diet. In one study, supplementing with this nutrient promoted an additional 1.7kg (3.75lb) weight loss in one month when combined with dietary changes. Another study found that when it was combined with increased exercise, it increased the weight loss effects of that exercise and helped to reduce Metabolic Syndrome in moderately overweight patients. Some test-tube experiments have shown that chitosan can bind fat in the intestinal tract and help prevent their absorption without preventing the absorption of other nutrients. These research studies were short-term, and the longer-term effects were found to level out over time. Because of this, chitosan is useful in short-term weight loss only.

Research on Chitosan

Interestingly, current research has begun using chitosan as a binding agent that aids in the proper delivery of certain medications. Because this nutrient is not water-soluble but is quickly soluble in acids, such as stomach acid or bile acids, it can help regulate the delivery of medication in the digestive tract. Research is ongoing on using chitosan for this purpose.

How To Take Chitosan

Chitosan can be taken as a powder or in capsules. To promote weight loss and lower cholesterol, the dose in the research is between 1 and 4.5g daily. In general, it is recommended that chitosan be taken at a dose of 1000 to 1500mg three times daily with meals.

Dietary fibre is the portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes. Dietary fibres are diverse in chemical composition and can be grouped generally by their solubility, viscosity, and fermentability, which affect how fibres are processed in the body. Furthermore, fibre and fibre supplements can be categorized as soluble or insoluble. Many people are unfamiliar with what soluble and insoluble fibres really are, and the benefits they have for our health.

Understanding The Different Kinds of Fibre

Soluble Fibre

Soluble fibre attracts water, dissolves in water and turns into a gel-like substance. The major benefit of soluble fibre is that it slows digestion, thus stabilizing blood sugar by delaying the absorption of glucose. Thus, soluble fibre plays a role in the prevention of diabetes, as well as obesity. By slowing digestion, not only do soluble fibres increase the uptake of minerals and nutrients during digestion, but they also promote satiety and help prevent overeating. Psyllium, apples, beans, dried apricots, and oat bran are all excellent sources of soluble fibre.

Insoluble Fibre

Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water. It acts to increase stool volume, otherwise known as a bulking agent. Insoluble fibre helps to maintain regularity by increasing transit time, promoting regularity and healthy bowel contractions. Some examples of insoluble fibre include wheat, corn, rice, vegetables and beans. Insoluble fibre may help to prevent and treat haemorrhoids, varicose veins, and constipation. These fibres also help to promote the removal of toxins through the bowel, before they are given a chance to be reabsorbed into the bloodstream, wreaking havoc on the body. It is this action that gives it such an important role in the prevention of colon cancer, among many other inflammatory diseases.

Fermentable Fibre

Recently there has been some dispute about the relevance of dividing fibre into soluble and insoluble categories. As an alternative, fibre can be divided into ‘viscous’ and ‘fermentable’. Soluble fibres that are high in inulin or fructo-oligosaccharides are said to be fermentable. Friendly bacteria in the large intestine ferment these fibres. These fibres can also be called probiotics. They help to stimulate the selective growth of "good" intestinal bacteria (mainly the lactobacillus and bifidobacterium species), at the expense of "bad" bacteria. Bacteria like e-coli and clostridium species are also normal and necessary as parts of healthy gut flora, but if overgrown or unopposed, are more likely to cause infection. Another advantage of fermentable bacteria is a fatty acid called butyric acid, produced through the fermentation process and the primary fuel of the large intestine. Other short-chained fatty acids produced by the fermentation process are thought to be responsible for some of the cholesterol-lowering properties of fibre. Leeks, onion, garlic, asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke and chicory root are all high in inulin.

Viscous Fibre

Also primarily associated with soluble fibre, viscous fibres are the cholesterol-lowering specialists. These fibres are complex with bile acids, which are made by the liver from cholesterol and are necessary for the proper digestion of fats. After complexing with bile acids, these compounds are removed from circulation and in turn lower cholesterol levels.

Categories of Dietary Fibre

• Cellulose - found in bran, legumes, peas, root vegetables, cabbage family, outer covering of seeds, and apples
• Hemicellulose - found in bran and whole grains. Regulates the water content of the stool. It is used as a treatment for weight loss, constipation, detoxification and the prevention of colon cancer.
• Polyfructoses (Inulin and Oligofructans)
• Galactooligosaccharides
• Gums - found in oatmeal, barley, and legumes.
• Mucilages
• Pectins - found in apples, strawberries, and citrus fruits. Pectin slows the absorption of food after meals thereby decreasing the rate at which blood sugar enters the body. Apple pectin binds to fats and bile acids. Thus it is used to prevent gallstones and lower cholesterol. Citrus pectin has been studied for its ability to remove toxins from the body and reduce side effects from radiation therapy.
• Lignin - found in root vegetables, wheat, and fruits with edible seeds (such as strawberries). A fibre that has an affinity for fats and bile acids. It binds to these substances in the intestines and prevents their absorption or desorption into the body. Lignin is used to lower cholesterol, prevent gallstones and treat diabetes and colon cancer.
• Resistant Starches - found in ripe bananas, potatoes

How To Add Fibre Supplements To Your Daily Routine

Fibre can be added to your diet by increasing your intake of whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables (with skin) and beans/lentils. If it is still needed, many fibre supplements are available, each with a unique mix of fibres in tablets, capsules or powder form, are available. 

Potential Cautions & Considerations

Read fibre supplements carefully because some may contain laxatives, making those preparations unsuitable for long-term use. 

The recommended intake of fibre is anywhere from 25-40 g/day, a goal that can be achieved quite easily if you know how to make the most of your diet. 2 pieces of whole-wheat toast or 3/4 cups of cooked oats have about 6 g of dietary fibre. A cup of spinach has 7 g, while 1/2 of cooked black beans have just fewer than 10 g of fibre.

A balanced gut flora helps to promote healthy absorption and digestion, and significantly improves and regulates your immune function. What many people do not know is that FOS, or 'prebiotics', can help to naturally increase your production of 'healthy bacteria', no live cells required.

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are defined based on 3 criteria

1) The (food)source must be non-digestable and resistant to gastric acidity, hydrolysis by intestinal digestive enzymes, and gastrointestinal absorption.

2) It must be fermentable.

3) It should, in a selective way, stimulate growth and/or metabolic activity of intestinal bacteria, which it does at the expense of pathogenic bacteria.

Top Prebiotics: FOS, Inulin & Oligofructose

Two specific fructooligosaccharides (FOS), inulin and oligofructose, are considered by Marcel Roberfroid, the man who both discovered and named prebiotics in 1995, to be the only sources to fully meet his definition of prebiotics.

What Foods Contain Prebiotics?

Although a food cannot be considered a prebiotic, certain foods can be a rich source of prebiotics or have higher prebiotic potential.

Foods with a high inulin content, for example include Jerusalem artichoke, onion, garlic, and chicory root. These foods are said to selectively increase the production of both the lactic acid producing bacteria (Lactobacillus species) and the bifidobacterium species of 'beneficial' bacteria.

FOS prebiotics are a form of fibre, meaning it also has the added benefit of being able to regulate blood sugar, applicable not only to individuals with diabetes or who are prediabetic, but helpful for those looking to control cravings and weight gain. Fibre has also been shown to help to lower cholesterol.

Adding More FOS Prebiotics To You Diet For Improved Gut Health

A synbiotic diet is one that is high in both prebiotic and probiotic foods/supplements. Pre and probiotics when taken together enhance each others' effects. This is why many companies are now including prebiotic fibre/FOS/inulin in with the live cells of a probiotic. Prebiotics can be taken this way, in capsule form, or in powder. Some companies are now combining these rich prebiotic substances with protein, multi mineral combinations and greens to increased overall health.

Psyllium has long been valued for its role in supporting digestive health and overall wellness. This gentle, plant-based nutrient helps promote regularity, healthy cholesterol levels, and balance blood sugar. In this article we delve into its health benefits and supplement varieties you can incorporate into your daily routine.

What is Psyllium?

Psyllium is extracted from the husks and seeds of several plantago species of plants. It contains mucilage, a gelatinous substance that acts as an intestinal regulator, providing bulk to the stool, which slows diarrhea, as well as initiating a defecation reflex in those suffering from constipation.

Health Benefits of Psyllium

Psyllium is a source of soluble fibre and as such, it has been shown to slow the absorption of sugar, making it a staple for diabetics. Incorporating soluble fibre into your diet prevents dangerous spikes in sugar levels after meals. As a source of soluble fibre, it also binds excess cholesterol, prevents its absorption and aids in its elimination. Many cholesterol lowering agents that lower "bad" cholesterol (LDL, VLDL) have the same effect on "good" cholesterol (HDL). Psyllium is one of the few substances that does not have a detrimental effect on HDL, while lowering LDL cholesterol levels. The FDA has recognized it as an herb that reduces cholesterol, therefore also reducing the risk of heart disease, still the leading cause of death in Canada and United States.

Psyllium is not digested, but stimulates digestive processes through purely mechanical means. In the intestines, it creates a large, soft, slimy mass (sounds yummy, right?) that travels through the intestines triggering contractions, coating the walls, slowing digestion and therefore regulating the rate of absorption. It is these effects that make it an excellent complimentary treatment for hemorrhoids (often caused or worsened by constipation), IBD, high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and heart disease.

Shopping For Psyllium Supplements

Psyllium tends to have less gas and bloating effects than similar products, including bran. Recommended dosages vary greatly, but in general for any concern, a dose of 7 – 30 g/day is adequate. It is very important to increase your water and fluid intake at the same time as increasing your psyllium intake, to avoid painful and dangerous bowel obstructions.

Important Considerations

Allergies are possible, so be cautious if using for the first time. Rash, hives, difficulty breathing or anaphylaxis can develop in sensitive individuals. Diabetics taking insulin medication as well as psyllium should monitor their blood sugar regularly, as regular psyllium intake may require a lower dosage of medication. It is advised that psyllium be taken at least 1 hour away from supplements and prescription medication to avoid a possible decrease in absorption that delayed gastric emptying may cause.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are carbon chains made up of anywhere from two to six carbon atoms. Each one has a different function depending on its length and structure. The most important medicinal short-chain fatty acid is butanoic acid (butyric acid). Short-chain fatty acids are naturally produced when we break down dietary fibre in our large intestine.

Types of Short-Chain Fatty Acids

Each length of carbon chain has a particular name based on its structure, and all have different functions. Some of the longer chains, like butyric acid and valeric acid, actually have isomers that have the same chemical formula but a mirror image structure that also gives them a different function. Common SCFAs are formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butanoic acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, and isovaleric acid. See the chart below for more information on each.

Nutritional Information

Medicinal Short-Chain Fatty Acids

Although some of the short-chain fatty acids may be useful in everyday life and manufacturing for cleaning and preservation, there are others that have been found to be particularly useful for health. The most important of these is butanoic acid. Butanoic acid was formerly known as butyric acid, which, when conjugated with a base, forms butyrate. Butyrate is now correctly called butanoate, although both names can still be seen on product labels and in research papers.

Butyrates/Butanoates

There are many forms of butyrate available, such as salts of methyl butyrate, ethyl butyrate, butyl butyrate, and pentyl butyrate. Alternatively, butyrate can be part of a larger molecule and the name will contain “-butyro-“ within it. The presence of this fatty acid is extremely beneficial to colon health and can directly reduce colon inflammation. Some forms of butyrate have been found to have the potential to stop unhealthy cell growth and to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in animal models.

Adding Short-Chain Fatty Acids To Your Diet

The source of each short-chain fatty acid is relatively unique. Those that have the most use in the human body are commonly manufactured from dietary fibre in our colon. For direct supplementation, butyrate is the most commonly sought-after short-chain fatty acid.