Monday, June 22, 2009

Fiber Focus

Many of you may not know this, but I like anything wholegrain/wholemeal =)


One good example is bread. I don't eat WHITEBREAD (unless, the supermarket sells only this) All along, my mom only buys the wholegrain/wholemeal kind of bread. It has got that rough, mouthful of grains to chew on which I really like^-^ Many people find whitebread better because it is smoother.

Another example would be the Five Kernel Mooncake. It is my second favourite after the traditional Lotus Seed paste mooncake. The burst of five different nuts and seeds (walnut, almond, pumpkin, sesame, peanut) when you take a mouthful is so heavenly-crisp & fragrant. YUM! Many of my friends, unfortunately think I am weird >.<

That leads me on to this topic of fibre. As you all know, dietary fibre is important for maintaining a healthy digestive system. It prevents constipation and keeps the heart healthy as well.


So what type of fibres are there?

INSOLUBLE FIBRE





What is it?
Also called roughage. Moves food through the bowel quickly. It is more resistant to digestion and is present in the large bowel where it can be fermented by bacteria.

Where can you find it?
Brown rice, wheat bran, whole-wheat pasta, whole grain foods eg multigrain bread, skins of vegetables and fruits

Note: Whole-grains are grains with their bran, germ and endosperm intact!

P.S: From my experience, I hardly ever get constipation. ^-^ Really.



SOLUBLE FIBRE


What is it?
Also known as soft fibre. Apart from feeling full, it helps to lower LDL ('bad') cholesterol, while maintaining the HDL ('good') cholesterol.


Where can you find it?
Oats, legumes (peas, beans, lentils)


Recap-Top Tips to Increase Your Fibre Intake:

  • Eat wholegrain breads and cereals
  • Fruits (not juice; eat skins where possible)
  • Vegetables
  • Peas, Baked beans (my housemate's fav!)
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Wholemeal pasta
  • Brown rice


So, peeps! Start your healthy intake of fibres today! No more constipation problem and a healthier you =)

4 comments:

  1. FLATULENCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCE!!!
    pppeeeeewwweeewww

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  2. Jo, that is you and beans!! You can eat other things =)

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  3. The fibre post is just what I needed, thanks!
    I'll inject some into my daily diet.
    Indeed, constipation is still a regular issue for me hahah

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  4. Von: Lol.. the reason why I wrote this article is because many people complained to me about their constipation problems. Don't mean to brag, but people are surprised when they see me going in and coming out from the washroom pretty quick when it meant big business. You get my point.

    Another great tip I should have added is TRY EATING BROWN RICE. Of course, I don't mean switching from white rice to brown rice the next day. Even I wouldn't be able to take it. What I would do is to try mixing them in small portions to get used to the taste slowly.

    People who has greatly influenced my eating habits are my late grandfather and mother. They are pretty health conscious, I tell you.

    If you are interested, you can always talk to my mom. Remember I told you that my aunt runs a 'rice business'? That is where we get our supply =)She sells all sorts of rice! My appetite has definitely increased when '5-grains' and '8-grains' rice was introduced into my daily diet. Now, I know you might feel funny to see colourful rice being served instead of white rice. Trust me, you will get used to it =) Think about all the goodness you'll be getting!

    I don’t see white rice as a horrible, evil food, but I would like to see people eat brown rice more frequently,” says Alan Titchenal, assistant professor in human nutrition at the University of Hawaii. “With brown rice they’re going to get more dietary fiber out of it, and there’s a slight increase in the amount of vitamins and minerals.

    P.S: Sometimes, I feel guilty for eating white rice here =( because it has been almost 5-6 years since I ate multi-grain rice while I was back in my home-sweet-home.

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