Dietary fiber is a fundamental part of a balanced diet and should be included in your healthy meals in daily life. Athletes can also enjoy the benefits of a high and rich-fiber diet. in this post all you get is answer the following questions about Healthy Fiber Benefits and Dietary Fiber:
What is Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber is the piece of plants that you eat yet which doesn’t get processed in your small digestive system. There are two kinds of fiber: Soluble and Insoluble. All things being equal, it is totally or to some degree separated (matured) by microbes in your digestive organ. since it has multiple implications in the prevention of complex diseases in the medium term. It is associated with a decrease in cardiovascular risk and also with fewer traffic problems. Source
Soluble Fiber: including pectins and beta-glucans is found in foods like fruit and oats. Soluble fiber is found in these foods: Fruit (e.g. apples and pears) Vegetables (e.g. carrots, artichokes, and onions) Seeds Legumes
Insoluble Fiber: including cellulose is found in wheat bran and nuts. Insoluble fiber is found in these foods: Whole-grains and whole-grain products Fruit and vegetable peels Legumes Seeds
Resistant starch = helps to grow good gut bacteria/inhibit the growth of bad intestine bacteria.
See table below for examples of each:
| Soluble | Insoluble | Resistant Starch |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit | Skin of Fruit & Veg | Rolled oats |
| Vegetables | Whole grains | Green bananas |
| Rolled oats | Nuts | Cooked & cooled potato/rice |
| Legumes | Sesame | Sunflower seeds |
Why is Fiber important and Healthy for Athletes
Fiber improves the health of the microbiota, However, in recent years its diversity has also been linked to an improvement in sports performance. Even today, the role of the microbiota in muscle gain is being studied.
In addition, several studies point to it as responsible for several of the nutrient absorption processes. For this reason, having a healthy microflora is a protective factor against intestinal dysbiosis. Fiber consumption has a great implication for the maintenance of proper intestinal health. This substance ferments in the digestive tract and produces a selective growth of the bacteria that inhabit it.
Read Also: Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits
For this reason, fiber intake is linked to the reduction of transit problems, both diarrhea, and constipation. Athletes often suffer from this type of ailment, since they often attribute problems related to intestinal water absorption.
High Fiber Intake Improves Immune System
A rich fiber food improves and helps the strong immune system. A high-fiber diet Improves constipation and lactose intolerance.
For example, high-quality randomized controlled trials have shown that eating oat bran leads to lower blood pressure and lower total cholesterol.
Dietary Fiber Help in Weight Management
Additionally, fiber is associated with increased satiety and a decreased risk of postprandial hypoglycemia, according to an article published in Nutrition Reviews. Prevention of this type of hypoglycemia reduces the likelihood of a loss of performance once competition begins.
A rich-fiber diet plays an important role in treating type 2 diabetes. (8) Since fiber is digested slowly, it stabilizes the blood sugar and keeps it from spiking, that is what happens if you eat white flour products.
How Much Fiber Should I Take Per Day?
- Adults are recommended to get around 25g and 38g of dietary fiber each day for general health benefits.
- However, the latest figures suggest that in the UK, the average fiber intake for adults is 18g, 60% of what it should be.
- Children from age two should aim for 15g per day. Primary school-age children should try to eat 20g per day. Secondary school-aged children should try to eat 25g per day.
Some of the best fiber-rich food choices are:
| Heading | Total fibre per 100g* |
|---|---|
| Cereals and Carbohydrates | |
| Shredded whole wheat or bran cereals | 13-24.5g |
| Wholemeal bread (two slices) | 7.0g |
| Wholemeal spaghetti (boiled) | 4.2g |
| Fruit and Vegetables | |
| Figs | 6.9g |
| Strawberries | 3.8g |
| Parsnip (boiled) | 4.7g |
| Broccoli (boiled) | 2.8g |
| Nuts and seeds | |
| Almonds | 7.4g |
| Peanuts | 7.6g |
| Sesame | 7.9g |
| Sunflower seeds | 6.0g |
| Peas and beans | |
| Peas (boiled) | 5.6g |
| Baked beans (in tomato sauce) | 4.9g |
| Green beans (boiled) | 4.1g |
*Based on American Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC) or non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) if measurements are not available.
WHAT SHOULD ATHLETES CONSIDER WHEN EATING A HIGH-FIBER DIET
Athletes can also enjoy the benefits of a high-fiber diet listed above. Fiber is an essential substance for proper health promotion, and it also plays a major role in sports. Its daily intake guarantees a reduction in the risk of possible reactive hypoglycemia and improves the diversity of the microbiota.
Example: A Rich-Fiber Meak Plan on workout per day
We have made an example of how you can integrate good and rich-fiber foods into your workout day. Have a low-fiber snack before your exercise:
- Breakfast: oatmeal with apples, flax seeds, and nut butter
- Snack: plain dairy or soy yogurt with berries
- Lunch: sandwich with hummus or cheese, baby spinach, tomatoes, and cucumber on whole grain bread
- Pre-workout snack: banana or slice of white bread with honey
- Post-workout snack: protein shake
- Dinner: brown rice with vegetables, kidney beans, and chicken or tofu.
Breakfast
| Overnight oats | Portion size | Fiber per portion |
| Raw porridge oats | 50g | 4g |
| Frozen raspberries | 50g | 1.3g |
| Plain yogurt/milk | 100g | |
| Nut topping (walnuts/ almonds) | 40-50g | 4g |
Lunch
| Filled baked potato | Portion size | Fiber per portion |
| Baked potato | 180g – medium cooked | 5g |
| Baked beans | 80g | 3g |
| Sweetcorn (tinned) | 80g | 2g |
Dinner
| Mediterranean Spaghetti | Portion size | Fiber per portion |
| Wholemeal spaghetti with pesto | 150g | 6g |
| Broccoli and cherry tomatoes | 80g | 2g |
Snacks High Fiber
| Snacks | Portion size | Fibre per portion |
| Wholemeal bread toasted with peanut butter | 2 slices 1 tablespoon | 7g 1g |
| A banana or apple | 1 medium sized | 2g |
TOTAL: approx 38g
Source(s)
- British Nutrition Foundation [Internet]. Nutrition.org.uk. 2021 [cited 14 April 2021]. Available from: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/
- Gill, S.K., Rossi, M., Bajka, B. et al. Dietary fibre in gastrointestinal health and disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 18, 101–116 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-020-00375-4
- Lomax AR, Calder PC. Prebiotics, immune function, infection and inflammation: a review of the evidence. Br J Nutr. 2008:1–26.
- McCance and Widdowson’s ‘composition of foods integrated dataset’ on the nutrient content of the UK food supply. [Internet]. GOV.UK. 2021 [cited 14 April 2021]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/composition-of-foods-integrated-dataset-cofid
- PEN: Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition [Internet]. Pennutrition.com. 2021 [cited 14 April 2021]. Available from: https://www.pennutrition.com/index.aspx
- SACN Carbohydrates and Health Report [Internet]. GOV.UK. 2021 [cited 14 April 2021]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-carbohydrates-and-health-report
- Williams, B. A., Mikkelsen, D., Flanagan, B. M., & Gidley, M. J. (2019). “Dietary fibre”: moving beyond the “soluble/insoluble” classification for monogastric nutrition, with an emphasis on humans and pigs. Journal of animal science and biotechnology.