Digestive Aids Part 3

FIBRE DECEPTIONS

Please do not be victimized by ad campaigns for cereals, breads or other foods fortified with psyllium, oat bran or some other fibre. Despite their healthful aura, these foods are typically high in sugars. Adding fibre to a snack cake doesn’t make it healthy, and many of these foods are not too far afield from that. Look at all the ingredients on the label, not just the fibre content. Appropriate high-fibre breakfast foods are pure, unadulterated whole grains – for example, porridge oats and brown rice cooked as a hot cereal, preferably with freshly ground flaxmeal on top. Beans are another good source, especially black-eyed peas. For those who are on a low-carbohydrate eating plan, nuts and leafy greens are good sources.

SUPPLEMENT SUGGESTIONS

How much fibre should you eat? The average American or Briton consumes about 10-12 grams a day, although I am not sure that even 30 grams a day is enough. (Some communities in rural China eat as much as 75 grams a day.) At the very least, try to take 1-3 tablespoons of a blend of psyllium, wheat bran, rice bran and flaxmeal per day, beginning with perhaps just 1 teaspoon and working up from there over a course of a few weeks. It’s best to introduce fibre slowly. A sudden increase in fibre can stress the digestive tract, causing an uncomfortable bloating, especially in those who have not consumed much fibre for years.

I strongly prefer the powdered forms over capsules and tablets. They’re easier to ingest and are essential to obeying the cardinal rule of fibre supplementation: take fibre along with plenty of water. In the intestine, fibre sucks up water like a sponge. If you already have capsules or tablets, stir them into a glass of water and let it stand for a minute before drinking.

For a better balance of health attributes, take both soluble and insoluble fibre, emphasizing whichever suits your own objectives. Finally, don’t take fibre at the same time as the other supplements in your nutrient programme. It may interfere with their absorption.