(Colon cancer is on the rise among young people. Signs to look out for are:. )
lack of dietary fiber Increased risk You can develop chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as autoimmune diseases and even allergies. In contrast, eating a high-fiber diet can support a healthier weight and reduce obesity rates. cardiovascular diseaseand colorectal cancer.
Latest research suggests dietary fiber may also help Reduce the negative effects of microplastics in our bodies. According to microbiome scientist Catherine Whiteson, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, fibers “protect us from all kinds of environmental toxins” by creating a kind of matrix that absorbs and excretes them.
The exact mechanisms by which different types of fibers interact with the body remain an active area of research. But to maximize its benefits, Holscher recommends “consuming a variety of plant-based fibers,” including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes.
Some studies suggest that consuming a broader range of dietary fiber sources may support a more diverse gut microbiome. a large-scale study found that eating more than 30 different plants each week increases the diversity of your gut microbes.
still, Whiteson says cause-and-effect relationship is unclearhave noted that people in some resource-limited areas maintain highly diverse gut microbiota despite relatively low intakes of fiber sources. “They have incredibly diverse gut microbiota, like the people I get to work with in remote areas of Ecuador.”
At the end of the day, Whiteson believes, the goal is “to eat more fiber, not to be a perfectionist.”
Some people turn to fiber supplements and fiber-enriched foods to increase their fiber intake.
Joyce Lee, New York Times/Redux (top) (left) and Daria Bulgakova, Alamy Photo Gallery, Image Gallery (bottom) (right)
Can supplements help?
It’s no coincidence that fiber intake is decreasing in modern American diets.
“In developed countries, fiber consumption has really fallen dramatically as we eat more processed foods,” Whiteson explains. Processing often removes fiber-rich ingredients to improve texture, taste, and shelf life, such as removing the bran from wheat to produce white flour.
(How much fiber do you really need to stay healthy?)