Foods rich in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and cereals, are important for maintaining intestinal health and preventing conditions such as constipation, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Furthermore, lactulose, inulin and resistant starch are fibers that have a prebiotic effect, serving as food for the good bacteria in the intestine, improving intestinal function and increasing the body’s defenses.
Read too: Prebiotics: what they are and what they are for
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Fiber is a type of carbohydrate present in plant foods and which is not digested by the body, passing intact through the stomach and intestine, and being eliminated from the body through feces.
List of foods rich in fiber
The main foods rich in fiber are:
1. Fruits
Fruits, such as persimmon, guava, papaya, pear and plum, are foods rich in soluble fiber, a type of fiber that dissolves in water, forming a type of gel in the stomach, increasing food digestion time and thus promoting satiety.
Read too: 25 fruits rich in fiber (and recommended amount)
tuasaude.com/frutas-ricas-em-fibras
How to consume: the minimum daily fruit recommendation is 2 to 3 servings, which is equivalent to between 160 and 240 g per day. To enjoy all the benefits of fiber, fruits should preferably be consumed in their natural form, with skin and pomace, whenever possible.
2. Whole grains
Whole grains, such as brown rice, wheat bran, rye flour, oats and whole wheat bread, are rich in insoluble fiber.
These foods help prevent and combat constipation, because they increase the volume of feces and stimulate natural bowel movements, facilitating evacuation.
How to consume: whole grains can be consumed at meals such as breakfast, lunch and dinner and also as complements to snacks, fruit salads or smoothies.
3. Legumes
Beans, chickpeas, soybeans, lentils, dried peas and broad beans are legumes rich in fiber that balance the intestinal flora, helping to prevent bowel cancer.
In addition, legumes are also rich in resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that is not digested and that also acts as fiber in the body.
How to consume: the recommendation for legumes is 3 tablespoons per day, which can be used in salads, soups and in the preparation of breads, pastas, desserts, burgers, pasta and pizzas.
Read too: Legumes: what they are, benefits, examples and how to consume
tuasaude.com/leguminosas
4. Legumes
Vegetables, such as kale, broccoli, beetroot, pumpkin, chicory, okra, carrots, tomatoes, onions and peppers, are foods rich in fiber that help control blood cholesterol levels, preventing cardiovascular diseases.
How to consume: the daily recommendation for vegetables is 2 to 3 servings, which is equivalent to between 160 and 240 g per day. Vegetables can be consumed at lunch, dinner, breakfast and snacks, in the form of salads, soups, pates, roasts and stews, for example.
5. Seeds
Seeds such as flaxseed, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower and chia are foods rich in fiber that can help maintain weight or lose weight, as they promote satiety, helping to control hunger throughout the day.
How to consume: the recommended amount of seeds to obtain their benefits is 30 grams per day, which is equivalent to about 1 tablespoon. The seeds can be consumed alone, as an appetizer, or added to salads, bread, cakes, pasta, soups and yogurt, for example.
Read too: Sunflower seed: what it is for and how to use it
tuasaude.com/beneficios-da-semente-de-girassol
6. Oilseeds
Oilseeds, or dried fruits, such as almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews and walnuts, are foods rich in fiber that help maintain intestinal health, prevent cardiovascular diseases and regulate blood cholesterol levels.
Read too: 10 benefits of dried fruits and how to consume them
tuasaude.com/beneficios-dos-frutos-secos
How to consume: the recommended amount of nuts per day is 30 g, which is equivalent to about a handful of peanuts, 25 almonds, 15 cashews, 20 hazelnuts, 15 macadamias, 2 tablespoons of pine nuts and 6 whole walnuts , for example.
Benefits of fiber
The main health benefits of fiber are:
- Fight constipationas they accelerate intestinal transit and increase the volume of feces, facilitating evacuation;
- Promote satietybecause they form a type of gel in the stomach, increasing the time it takes to digest food and promoting weight maintenance or loss;
- Help regulate blood sugar levelsas it decreases the speed of carbohydrate absorption at the intestinal level, controlling the increase in glucose and insulin;
- Decrease cholesterol and triglyceride levelsbecause they reduce the absorption of fats and cholesterol in the intestine, reducing their concentration in the body;
- Maintain gastrointestinal healthas they serve as food for the beneficial bacteria present in the intestine, reducing inflammation, increasing the body’s defenses and preventing diseases, such as diverticulitis and ulcerative colitis, for example;
- Control some types of diarrhea, mainly those caused by bacterial infections, with prebiotic fibers being responsible for this benefit and which can be found in some foods such as chicory, garlic and artichokes;
- Decrease the risk of chronic diseasessuch as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and colon cancer.
To obtain all the benefits of fiber, it is necessary to consume fiber-rich foods daily and maintain a healthy diet.
It is important to remember that, in addition to fiber, you should also increase your water intake, to hydrate the fibers and lubricate the intestine, avoiding constipation.
Types of fibers
Dietary fibers can be classified as soluble or insoluble.
1. Soluble fibers
Soluble fibers dissolve in water forming a gel and, therefore, remain longer in the stomach and intestine, promoting greater satiety, regulating glucose levels and reducing blood cholesterol levels.
Soluble fibers are fermented by the beneficial bacteria present in the intestine, helping to maintain intestinal health and preventing the emergence of diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and colorectal cancer.
Some soluble fibers are pectin and inulin, which can be found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds and cereals, such as oats, wheat germ, barley and rye. See more about foods rich in soluble fiber.
2. Insoluble fibers
Insoluble fibers are not diluted in water and their fermentation in the intestinal microbiota is limited. Therefore, upon reaching the large intestine, this type of fiber accelerates intestinal transit by increasing the volume of feces and acting as a natural laxative, preventing problems such as constipation, hemorrhoids and intestinal inflammation.
Some insoluble fibers are cellulose and lignin, for example, which can be found in whole grains, seeds, oilseeds and the peels of different types of fruits and vegetables. Check out other foods that contain insoluble fiber.
3. Resistant starch
Although it is not a fiber, resistant starch acts in a similar way in the body, as it is a type of carbohydrate that is not digested by the intestine.
Thus, resistant starch serves as food for bacteria in the large intestine, protecting against colon cancer and helping to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Resistant starch is present in foods such as green bananas, beans, lentils, potatoes, whole grains, pasta cooked al dente,
Recommended daily amount
The daily fiber recommendation varies according to age and gender, according to the following table:
Furthermore, pregnant or breastfeeding women need to consume 28 g and 19 g, respectively, of fiber per day.
When you cannot ingest the recommended amount of fiber per day through your diet, some supplements, in capsule or powder form, may be recommended by your doctor or nutritionist.
