We should all be eating more foods containing plenty of 'dietary fiber' or 'roughage'. This means more unrefined, untreated plant foods, such as wholemeal flour and whole grain cereals.
What is dietary fiber ?
Fiber makes up the cell walls of plant foods, such as cereals, vegetables, beans, and fruit. We eat food for the nutrients it contains, and the nutrients are contained within this fibrous wrapping. The fiber is the part of the food which is not digested and absorbed by the body, but is passed out as waste. Because of this it has not always been recognized as being a very important part of our diet. In fact when foods are processed and refined, most of the outer, fibrous layers are removed and discarded. For example, when grains of wheat are milled to make white flour, the whole grain of wheat is broken open and all the outer layer of bran is discarded so that the flour is smooth and white. 'Wholemeal' flour has the whole grain of the wheat ground, including most of the bran layer, so it contains a good amount of fiber.
Why do we need dietary fiber ?
We have said that fiber isn't absorbed and used by the body but is just passed out as waste in the stools, so why is it important ?
Fibers is bulky and very absorbent. It holds a lot of water. This means that the contents of the bowel (the faeces) remain soft and are easily passed out of the body. This prevents constipation and other disorders related to it. Fiber may also 'mop up' poisonous substances from the bowel, which might be harmful if left.
Foods rich in fiber ?
This list gives fiber-rich foods roughly 'in order' according to how much fiber they provide, with the best sources first:
1) Bran - in breakfast cereals, or it can be bought cheaply as miller's bran from chemists and supermarkets.
2) Wholemeal flour and bread. Ordinary brown flour contains less fiber than wholemeal, but it is still much better than white flour in this respect.
3) Wholegrain cereals, including whole wheat breakfast cereals, brown rice, brown pasta, and barley.
4) Peas and beans of all kinds, and lentils.
5) Root vegetables such as potatoes (if eaten with their skins), carrots, and turnips.
6) Dried fruit such as figs, raisins, dates and nuts.
7) Other fruit and vegetables.
How can you include more high-fiber foods in your diet ?
1) Eat wholemeal bread, or at least brown bread, whenever possible.
2) Use wholemeal flour when cooking. It is very suitable for bread, scones, chocolate, ginger and fruit cakes, pizzas and some pastries, and biscuits.
3) When buying breakfast cereal, look for 'bran' or 'wholemeal' on the packet and choose that kind.
4) Use brown rice, spaghetti, and other pasta.
5) Use plenty of beans, peas, and lentils in soups and casseroles.
6) Eat plenty of root vegetables, including potatoes baked in their skins.
7) Sprinkle miller's bran onto stewed fruit or any breakfast cereal, or add a little to cakes, bread, or biscuits when baking.
