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Food and nutrition Why fibre is important for good health WHY THE CURRENT INTEREST IN FIBRE? The new interest in fibre can be credited to a British physician, Dr. Denis Burkitt. In the 1970’s he re- ported that in countries where the diet is high in fibre there are fewer cases of intestinal cancer, diver~ ticulosis, hemorrhoids, hiatus hernia, appendicitis, varicose veins, gall- stones. and heart disease. He felt North Americans had done a disser- vice to their health by refining much of the fibre from their food. Here are examples of the preval- ence of certain diseases in North America as compared to Africa. increases the bulk and softens the tex- ture of the bowel material so the pressure is reduced. The stress on the bowel walls is removed and out- pockets do not occur. Large Bowel Cancer Fibre helps the waste products move through the gut quickly. The waste products are in contact with the gut wall for a shorter time reducing the risk of irritation. infection, and development of agents which may be cancer-causing. Obesity: High fibre foods take longer to chew and are bulkier. They cause a full feeling before too many calories are Condition North America Heart Disease Responsible for 1/3 of all deaths Prevalence of Disease Africa Practically unknown Diverticular Disease Mon common disease of the bowel Almost unknown Large Bowel Cancer 1nd most frequent cause of cancer Rare Obesity overweight Nearly 1/2 the population ts Rare among those on traditional diets Are Dr. Burkitt’s ideas outra- geous? Yes and no. All of his claims cannot be linked solely to fibre. There are many other differences bet ween the eating habits and lifestyle of North Americans and Africans. On the other hand, current re, search indictes that there are some health advantages to increasing the amount of fibre in your diet. FIBRE AND YOUR HEALTH â€" SOME PROPOSED THEORIES Heart Disease Fibre can combine with bile salts, which are made from cholesterol, and prevent them from being absorbed. This forces the body to use up cholesterol in the blood stream to form bile salts. The result is a lower blood cholesterol which may reduce the risk of heart disease. Diverticular Disease Diverticula are small bulges on the wall of the b0wel caused by increased pressure and muscle weakness. Fibre I2 H 8t (5 Summer '85 taken in. Fibre may decrease the ab- sorption of other energy sources (pro- tein and fat). These are proposed theories. It is important not to treat fibre as a remedy of an ills. Don‘t consider fibre a medicine. Instead, recognize it as merely a normal part of the human diet. A balanced diet includes many dif- ferent nutrients and fibre from a varier of food sources. What is fibre? It's the part of plant material we can’t digest. Since it's not digested, dietary fibre is not a source of nutrients or energy. What does fibre do? It remains in the intestine as a bulky mass that helps remove the wastes left after the food is digested and absorbed. Like a sponge, fibre takes in large amounts ofwater. This stretches the intestinal wall which promotes regularity and good n‘l‘lg. cle tone. The result â€" less time wastes to pass through the gut. l f HOW YOU CAN INCREASE ’i l”. AMOUNT OF FIBRE IN YOI DIET I. Eat more whole grain prod it everyday â€" e.g. whole it it bread and crackers, rye bread ti crackers, shredded wheat, it t, oatmeal, brown rice. 2. Eat more fruits and vegetabl: - unpeeled, whenever possiblt 3. Choose fruits more frequ- than juice. 4. Use fibre extenders in casserol â€" e.g. bran, rolled oats, whole It cereals. . Periodically, substitute dried . dried beans and lentils for l' '. fish or poultry meals. 6. Eat more nuts. seeds and Li fruit. Try adding them to dcs salads and casseroles. 7. Substitute whole wheat flor r all or part of the white flo n recipes. U: For more suggestions. . . Lappe, F.M., Diet For A II Planet, Toronto: Ballantine BOL it Canada Ltd., I982, paperbacl- Ewald, 58., Recipes For A ’ Ill Planet. Toronto: Ballantine Boil it Canada Ltd, 1982, paperbacl Information provided by the Ontario Dietetic Association I