The Repurposing Life

Myth 1: All Fiber Is Created Equal

When it comes to incorporating more fiber in our diets, quality is just as important as quantity. Take a closer look at the ingredients before tossing that box of ultra-processed cereal into your shopping cart. Oftentimes, products advertised as “high-fiber” are actually comprised of highly refined, nutrient-void flour lacking the vitamins and minerals found in whole grains.

When you hear the word “fiber,” the first thing to spring to mind is a bowl of dry cereal or breakfast bars, items that are often lauded in advertising campaigns for their supposedly high fiber content. However, such treats are often also loaded up with sugar, subsequently reducing their nutritional value.

Oftentimes when people think that whole grain or bran cereal is the only way to meet their fiber needs in a day. But most brands have a lot of added sugar. Some are higher in sodium and some are over-processed.

Rather than turn to high-fiber processed foods, opt for foods that are naturally high in fiber, like beans, lentils, raw veggies, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and nuts.

Healthier alternatives of fiber-rich foods include whole grains, such as oats and barley, nuts and complex carbohydrates like sweet potato.

Myth 3: There’s Only One Type Of Fiber

Nutrition labels clump “dietary fiber” under one heading. But there are actually two different types of fiber: soluble vs. insoluble.

Soluble fiber absorbs water during digestion binds to it to form a gel in your digestive tract and slows down digestion, stabilizing your blood sugar to prevent spikes that leave you hungry.

It also gives your body more time to absorb nutrients and grabs cholesterol to lower your overall levels. Soluble fiber keeps things moving through your digestive tract to keep you regular. Get it in oats, bananas, beans, lentils, chia seeds, hemp, and flaxseed.

Insoluble fiber passes through the digestive tract unchanged. It helps to bulk up stool and sweep out the digestive tract. Insoluble fiber may lower the risk of heart disease.

It is available in wheat bran, whole grains, seeds, and the skins of fruits and veggies.

Both are of equal importance in terms of supporting the digestive system. If you are concerned over which one you’re consuming, no need to worry: fiber-rich foods will naturally contain both.

Myth 5: Fiber Is Only Important For People With Constipation

It’s true, dietary fiber plays a crucial role in regulating bowel movements– but don’t let those Metamucil ads detract from all the other wonderful benefits fiber provides.

Even if you’re blessed with flawless digestion, adequate fiber consumption is important to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, improve gut health, bolster the immune system, and decrease inflammation.

Sometimes too much fiber (especially insoluble fiber) can harm your digestive tract, causing gas, bloating, and stomach pain. Eating tons of kale salads, broccoli, cauliflower rice, and dried fruit can mimic symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

That said, most of us aren’t getting near the 38 grams (men) or 25 grams (women) recommended by the Institute of Medicine. Instead of tossing out fiber altogether, trade some harder-to-digest fiber for fiber-rich foods that are easier on your stomach.

Instead of kale, try spinach; trade broccoli for asparagus; skip the cauliflower and load up on mushrooms. Or even just reduce your portion size by mixing one cup of kale instead of two and adding a cup of veggies like peppers, cucumber, mushrooms, and asparagus.

Myth 7: Fiber Leads To Weight Gain

Fiber is a form of carbohydrate and carbohydrates have been getting a bad rap. There are some who avoid fiber for fear that its slowing of the digestive system leads to weight gain.

Fiber does slow down digestion, but it does so in a positive way by decreasing the rate of sugar absorption in the bloodstream. In this sense, fiber actually aids in weight management. It prevents those unwanted blood sugar spikes that lead to hunger cravings.

Myth 9: You Should Avoid Fiber If You Have Diarrhea

While it’s true that too much insoluble fiber, like broccoli, can causing gas, bloating, and stomach pain; soluble fiber can stop these symptoms in their tracks. When soluble fiber enters your system, it actually slows down your digestive tract.

Myth 11: You Only Need Fiber to Stay Regular

Fiber isn’t just about your digestive system. A high-fiber diet includes loads of anti-inflammatory antioxidants. These antioxidants reduce your risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Because it keeps your appetite in check, it helps with weight maintenance.

Getting a healthy dose of daily fiber lowers your risk of colorectal cancer by keeping your digestive tract moving. The prebiotics in some types of fiber feed the good bacteria in your gut, a healthy gut boosts your immune system and mental health.

Myth 13: High-Fiber Foods Never Raise Your Blood Sugar

Many think that if a food is high in fiber, it’s also low on glycemic index. This is confusing and untrue. Generally speaking, when you swap white rice for higher-fiber brown rice, your blood sugar is less likely to spike-and-crash.

With that said, some high-fiber foods like bran flakes and oatmeal are high on the glycemic index. Other processed foods like cereal and protein bars have fiber added to them, but not always the kind that keeps blood sugar from spiking.

For the most part, the more cooked or processed a food is, the more it raises blood sugar. On the other hand, most organic, raw, and whole foods, have fiber that’s harder for your body to break down.

If you’re having oatmeal, opt for steel-cut or whole rolled versus instant oats (have been heat-treated for fast digestion). When it comes to bread, whole wheat is better than white, while stone ground is even better.