SOURCES OF DIETARY FIBRE FOR OUR CONSUMPTION

Dietary fibre is found mostly in unprocessed foods, minimally processed cereals, fruits and vegetables.

The amount of dietary fibre in the diet has direct relationship with the level of technological development of the community.

Dietary fibre is found aboundantly in plants especially in the outer layer of cereal grains and the fibrous parts of fruits, legumes and vegetables.

Dietary fibre is not found in meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs.

Soluble dietary fibres are found in beans and peas such as kidney beans, pinto beans, chick peas, black eye beans, and lentils. They are also found in some cereals such as oats and barley, in some fruits and vegetables such as apples, grapes, citrus and carrots.

On the other hand, insoluble dietary fibres are found in wheat bran, whole wheat, brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole rye bread. They are also found in many vegetables such as potatoes, green beans and cabbage and in many seeds.

Most foods contain both soluble and insoluble dietary fibres. The soluble components represent about 25% of the fibre present in most natural food stuffs whereas, the insoluble fraction accounts for about 75% of the fibre content.

The insoluble fibre is responsible for modulation of large bowel function, increasing stool weight and leads to frequent defeacation thus decreasing transit time for stool.

Soluble dietary fibres vary in viscosity and in their potential abilities to reduce the rate of absorption of carbohydrates. Highly viscous soluble fibres have been found to reduce blood glucose responses, whereas, relatively non-viscous soluble fibres have little effect.

THE DIETARY FIBRE CONTENT OF SOME COMMON FOODS: 

FOODSTUFFS                                               FIBRE/100g                     

All bran                                                           22.47

Shreaded wheat                                              9.82

Peanuts                                                             6.00

Whole meal bread                                          5.79

Runner beans                                                  4.42

Brown bread                                                    4.26

Baked beans                                                     3.30

Spaghetti                                                           2.27

Cabbage                                                            2.70

Macaroni                                                          2.62

Carrots                                                              2.30

Cream crackers                                              2.30

Apples                                                              1.93

Brown rice                                                      1.74

Tomatoes                                                        1.68

White bread                                                   1.60

Bananas                                                          1.11

Corn flakes                                                     0.64

White rice                                                      0.50

Jollof rice                                                       0.20

Dodo                                                               0.60

Boiled beans                                                 1.86

Coconut                                                         7.27

Boiled yam                                                   1.05

Amala(yam flour)                                       1.01

Gari                                                               2.45

Groundnut fried                                         3.26

Rice and beans cooked                              1.06

Pap                                                                 0.00

Soy soup                                                       0.40

Eba(paste from gari)                                 2.10

Akara                                                           1.32                      

Sources: Fox et al (1989) and Onimawo (1995).

DAY 24. 5 ESSENTIAL WISDOM TOOLS FOR A FRUITFUL LIFE

1. To achieve something that you have never achieved before, 

you must become someone that you have never been before.

- LES BROWN


2. Everything worthwhile takes a long time and a lot of work to

accomplish. But it is possible if you want it badly enough and

are willing to work long enough.

- BRIAN TRACY


3. You should always strive to "Be all you can be." in life.


4. Remember the old poem, "For every problem under the sun,

there is a solution or there is none. If there is a solution, go and

find it. If there isn't, never mind it."


5. If you believe you can do a thing or you believe you cannot, in

either case, you are probably right.

- HENRY FORD


 GOD BLESS. 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE DIGESTION OF DIETARY FIBRE

Digestion is the systematic break down of food substances by enzymes to release the nutrients contained therein. The nutrients are absorbed mostly in the small intestine.

The residue, containing dietary fibre, travels along the large intestine until it reaches the rectum and later voided. The time taken for food to travel from the mouth to the rectum for voiding is called transit time.

Transit times have been found to be shorter in communities eating high fibre diet than those eating low fibre diets. This is because fibre absorbs water and swells, increasing the bulk of the intestine content which facilitates faster movement.

This faster movement may lead to decrease in absorption of nutrients particularly in the small intestines since the contents do not stay long enough for more nutrients to be absorbed.

When the chyme or intestinal contents get to the large intestine, digestion and absorption would have been completed. However, water is absorbed mostly at the colon.

High fiber diet reduces the amount of energy absorbed of food in the small intestine because there is less time for digestion and absorption.

According to Winter, high fibre diet may alter the types and number of bacteria in the bowel and possibly inhibit their production of carcinogens.

Moreover, low fibre diets are said to have low satiety value. Low fibre diets lead to constipation. This is due to decrease in frequency of bowel movements resulting to prolonged transit time.

During this period of delay, water absorption into the blood continues, resulting in a hard stool which is difficult to pass. Inadequate fluid intake and loss of muscle tone added to this problem.

So, diets with high fibre content is far better tha diets with low fibre content.


REFERENCES 

Brownsell, V. I. Griffith, C. J. and Eleri, J. (1992). Applied Science Food Studies. Longman Science & Technical; UK.

Fox, B. A. and Cameron, A. G. (1989). Food Science, Nutrition and Health. 5th ed. Edward Arnold; A Division of Hodder &Stoughton, London.

DAY 23, 5 ESSENTIAL WISDOM TOOLS FOR A FRUITFUL LIFE

1. To succeed in life you should always be

concerned with what is right rather than

who is right.


2. Between you and anything you want to

 accomplish ther is a constraint, or limiting factor, that

determines how fast you get to where you want to go.

- ELIYAHU GOLDRATT


3. To be a successful man or woman you should most of the time

think about solutions rather than think about problems and

difficulties.


4. Failure is merely an opportunity to more intelligently begin

again.

- HENRY FORD


5. It is a fact that successful people fail far more often than

unsuccessful people.


GOD BLESS. 

DAY 22, 5 ESSENTIAL WISDOM TOOLS FOR A FRUITFUL LIFE

1. It's easy to be happy if you can

find happiness in small doses.

If you set impossible criteria for

happiness, then it will be all but

impossible for you to be happy.


2. The power to choose is one of the greatest gifts God has given

to us.


3. Wise men and women are always learning, always listening

for fresh insights.

- PROVERBS 18:15


4. When you refuse to settle for the status quo and continually

strive to evolve, you will stay ahead of the competition in

business and make a positive mark in life.


5. The people who do best in life are those who realise they have

the power to choose their attitudes, just as they have the power

to choose their clothing, or their cars.


GOD BLESS.