Getting Enough Fiber on the Lion Diet
Fiber, Fiber, and More Fiber
Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. It helps to maintain bowel regularity by adding bulk to stools and drawing water into the digestive tract. Fiber has also been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Unfortunately, most Americans get less than half of the fiber they need. The general recommended daily allowance is 20-25 grams per day.
How much fiber do you need?
The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, which provides science-based advice on matters of medicine and health, gives the following daily recommendations for adults*:
Why eat fiber?
Colon cancer is a major health problem. This disease is most common in Western cultures such as ours. Most colon cancer starts out as a colon polyp, a benign mushroom-shaped growth. In time it grows, and in some people it becomes cancerous.
There is a very low rate of colon cancer in residents of countries where grains are unprocessed and still contain their fiber and other natural nutrients. Cancer-containing agents (carcinogens) remain in contact with the colon wall for a longer time and in higher concentrations. Fiber tends to add bulk to your stools which may act to dilute these carcinogens by moving them through the bowel more quickly. Having little carcinogenic exposure to the colon will mean fewer colon polyps and less cancer. So by adding plenty of fiber to your diet you are naturally helping yourself to ward off colon cancer.
Having plenty of fiber in the diet can also help with weight loss. Fiber helps us to get rid of wastes and helps to keep food moving through the intestine. The more fiber you eat, the more waste your body gets rid of.
Another positive benefit to fiber is that it can help make you feel full. By eating high fiber foods you may not feel as hungry, and therefore eat fewer calories. Both of these benefits help with maintaining a normal weight.
That’s a lot of roughage!
The recommended amount of fiber is 20 or so grams per day. For most people, this is a lot of fiber! Most people do not consume this much each day because their diets are devoid of vegetables, whole grains, and complex carbohydrates. Patients have told us that they eat fruit and vegetables everyday, so therefore, they consume adequate fiber. One piece of fruit contains 3 or 4 grams of fiber. Whole grain breads and cereals should contain at least 5 grams of fiber to be considered high fiber. Regular breads and cereals typically contain a measly 1 or 2 grams per serving. Vegetables contain about 4-8 grams of fiber per serving on average. Fresh produce contains more fiber than canned or frozen varieties. Legumes such as lentils, beans, and split peas contain upwards of 10 grams of fiber per serving and are obviously a very good fiber source. Read your labels! What we need you to consume are complex carbohydrates versus simple carbohydrates!
What Are Complex Carbohydrates?
In the world of nutrition, you hear a lot about carbohydrates. The terms complex carbohydrates, simple carbohydrates, and then carbs for short, are used to describe foods. But, what do all those terms mean? Many patients come here who ask what exactly a complex carb is when we're going over the breakdown for their Hauser Diet plans. This is an important concept to grasp, so read on to make sure you are truly aware of the nutritional quality of your food choices.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the macronutrient that is composed of sugar! This includes breads, pastas, vegetables, fruits, sugar itself and anything that contains sugar. No matter what carbohydrates you eat, you need to remember that they all break down into sugar in the body. Some may take longer to get there, but that's the end result. The difference in their make up and metabolism is why it is important to divide carbs into categories.
Simple Carbs: Think white! White breads, pastas, rice, and sugar all fall under this category. And yes that means, sugary treats like soda and candy that although they may not be white, are still considered simple. The reason they are simple is because they either enter the body as sugar, or are quickly metabolized into sugar.
While these are the carbohydrates that need to be kept to a minimum, Lions and Otters need to be especially careful to stay clear of them all together. They will drain your energy and possibly increase your hunger. Bears can indulge every once in a while, and Monkeys and Giraffes shouldn't experience much of a negative effect from taking in a small amount of simple carbs during the day.
Complex Carbs: Look for brown! Whole grain breads, whole wheat pastas, brown rice, legumes, and vegetables would all be considered complex, meaning they take longer to break down into sugar. If you have a choice, this is the group to choose from when it comes to carbs. They have much more nutritional value than simple carbs. These foods play a big role in the Giraffe and Monkey Diets. Lions and Otters can have them, but they are extremely limited.
Now fruits can technically fall under this heading too, but they are kind of in a group by themselves. Because even though they do contain some fiber which makes their breakdown process a little slower, their sugar content compared to protein and fat is high. So, this is the one complex carb that is limited in the same way that simple carbs are. In fact Lions should not have any fruit in their diets at all!
How Can I Eat Fiber on My Hauser Diet?
If you are a Hauser Lion or Otter, your diet does not allow for many fruits or grains, and allows for some vegetables. Thus, these two Diet Types may be prone to consuming low fiber diets. Therefore, the whole grains and vegetables that you DO consume, should be ones that count! Don’t waste your complex carbs on a piece of whole grain bread that has 1 gram of fiber in it. Choosing to consume legumes as a side dish or on top of a salad is a good way for Otters and Lions to add fiber to their diets. Sprinkling a salad with some Bran Buds or other high fiber cereal, can add more roughage to the Hauser Otter or Lion Diets. If you can not get adequate fiber in your diet, you may need to add a fiber supplement.
Those of you who are Monkey or Giraffe Diet Types SHOULD have no problem obtaining adequate fiber in your diets because your diets allow for more carbohydrates. However, we have seen many-a Monkey just fill up on simple carbs such as white bread, bagels, pasta, rice, and sweets! You must make a conscious effort to choose high fiber sources of vegetables, whole grains, and fruits, such as fresh vegetables, legumes, and whole grain breads and cereals.
Hauser Bear Diet Types should also not have trouble getting adequate fiber in their diets if they choose the right foods! The Bear Diet Type is one of balance – allowing vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and a moderate amount of fruit. Again, choose whole grains and legumes during your weekly meals to ensure adequate fiber.
Water: Drinking plenty of water is also important. Water helps to soften your stools. Because fiber acts a lot like a sponge, it needs water to help cleanse our systems. With out water our bowels would turn hard and make us constipated. A high-fiber diet with plenty of water causes a large, soft, bulky stool that passes through the bowel easily and quickly. Because of this action, digestive tract disorders may be avoided or halted by following a high-fiber diet. A softer, larger stool helps prevent constipation and straining. This can help avoid or relieve hemorrhoids. More bulk means less pressure in the colon, which is important in the treatment of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Fiber, as we have stated earlier, has also been shown to be helpful in relationship to prevention of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and cholesterol. So bulk up today – and we’re not talking muscles!
|
