|
 Fibre
is that constituent of our food that cannot be digested by the body
- cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins that cannot be easily
broken down by digestive enzymes. It adds bulk to our diet and facilitates
easy movement of waste products thereby reducing strain to the body.
Fibre also helps in eliminating toxins - both absorbed through food
and produced inside the body.
You could say it acts as a broom that cleanses the interns of the
body.
Our ancestors consumed food mainly in its raw form - raw fruits
and vegetables and coarsely ground or cooked cereals. But food consumed
today is highly refined - refined flour for noodles, cakes, biscuits,
chapatti, breads, polished rice, pealed vegetables, fruits and strained
fruit juices. Such a diet needs correction.
The body can take up to 10 -15 gms of fibre everyday, without adverse
effect and 25 - 30 gms for therapeutic purposes. Sufficient fibre
decreases incidence of colon cancer, regulates sugar absorption
and the amount of cholestrol in our blood. But excessive fibre leads
to stomach upsets.
Fibre or roughage
is
present in |
- The skin and structural
parts of plant and plant products like whole
grain and breads (chappatis, unleavened breads,
etc.)
- Green leafy vegetables,
carrots, potatoes, peas, tomatoes, cauliflowers
and all kinds of beans.
- Fruits like peaches,
prunes, guavas and oranges.
- The bran layer of cereals.
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| Foods lacking in
Fibre include |
- Refined flour
(food made from it)
- Polished rice
- Animal foods
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| Ten ways to add
fibre to your diet |
- Do not sift flour
- Use unpolished rice
- Do not strain juices
- Buy whole wheat bread
and
bran biscuits
- Do not peel vegetables
and fruits
- Do not overcook vegetables
- Include 4-5 servings
of vegetables and fruits in daily diet
- Raisins, dried fruits
like apricots and sprouts are good sources of
fibre
- Jams and jellies have
pectin -
for children and people with
a sweet tooth
- Use bran, flea seed
husk (Isabgol) to correct fibre defects
in diet
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| Author : Anuradha Sriraman |
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