Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind by Dr. Georgia Ede

Author:Dr. Georgia Ede [EDE, GEORGIA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2024-01-30T00:00:00+00:00

Pulp Fiction: The Fiber Fallacy

It is widely believed that the fiber content of fruits and vegetables is key to their health benefits. So what is fiber, and how does it protect us from disease?

Just as bones and cartilage support the bodies of animals, fiber provides architectural scaffolding for plants. There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble, and all plant foods contain a combination of both in varying amounts.14 We are told that soluble fiber is good for us because it slows things down and that insoluble fiber is good for us because it speeds things up. Not only are these mixed messages confusing, but they suggest that our gastrointestinal system can’t be trusted to regulate its own behavior.

Insoluble Fiber: The Tough Stuff. My grandmother used to affectionately refer to insoluble fiber as “roughage.” Insoluble fiber can’t absorb water; it’s the type of fiber that makes asparagus and celery stalks so tough and stringy. Insoluble fiber passes through our digestive system virtually unchanged, because even our colon bacteria struggle to ferment it. We’re told insoluble fiber is good for us because it adds weighty “bulk” to the contents of our intestines, helping to push things along, but if you suffer from constipation, adding more indigestible material to an already clogged system can actually make the situation worse.15 We’re told that insoluble fiber sweeps our innards clean of potential toxins—but there is no evidence that the colon needs any help keeping itself clean,16 and you don’t need fiber to keep things moving, because the muscles that encircle your intestines are constantly in motion, rhythmically propelling everything you swallow toward the exit. You also don’t need fiber to scrub your intestinal walls, because the interior lining of your intestines completely replaces itself twice a week.17 In fact, that scrubbing action could do more harm than good, as insoluble fiber can be so abrasive that the cells lining the colon are forced to produce a layer of mucous to shield themselves from damage.18

Soluble Fiber: The Swell Gel. Soluble fiber absorbs liquid, causing it to partially dissolve and form a gel. (You can see this happen before your very eyes by stirring a soluble fiber supplement such as Metamucil® into a glass of water.) The ability of soluble fiber to hold water is what allows fruits like apples to be juicy while maintaining their firm shape. There are three main reasons we are advised to consume soluble fiber:

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