“Good" carbs have taken centre stage as one of the keystones of a healthy diet. But what is it that makes them good? For one thing, good carbs - whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables - are high in fiber.


There are two general types of fiber - soluble and insoluble - each with its own health benefits. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance that delays absorption of glucose in the intestines and helps prevent cholesterol absorption. Soluble types include gums, pectins, mucilages, beta-glucan, and oligosaccharides. Insoluble fiber - parts of cell walls, like cellulose - increases stool bulk and speeds transit of food through the gut. Plant foods contain a mix of both soluble and insoluble fiber. The best sources of soluble fiber are oats, barley, legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), psylium, seeds, and some fruits (such as apples, blueberries, and citrus) and vegetables (such as lady finger). The best sources of insoluble fiber are cereals (especially those containing wheat bran), nuts, and some fruits and vegetables, like cauliflower and green beans.

Though our bodies don't have the enzymes to digest fiber, some is broken down by bacteria in our intestines. Thus, another way of classifying fiber, which some experts now prefer, is by how fermentable it is. Highly fermentable fiber include, gums (like those present in fenugreek seeds) and mos other soluble fibers.


Fiber helps reduce certain risk factors for heart disease. In a large French study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who consumed at least 25 grams of fiber a day from food werelesi likely to have hypertensionanj high cholesterol and to be overweight. In addition, highe fiber intake was associated will lower triglycerides. Two recent reviews that together looked at nearly 50 studies also confirmed fiber's ability to reduce elevated blood pressure. Scientists are beginning to study fiber's potential for reducing inflammation in the body, another way it may lower the risk of heart disease.


Studies have linked low-fiber diets to an increased riskof Type 2diabetes, and high-fiber diets to a reduced risk of insulin resistance (sometimes called pre-diabetes). There's evidence that both soluble and insoluble fiber can help. Soluble fiber, in particular, improves blood sugar control by slowing the absorption of glucose. People with diabetes who get enough fiber may be able to reduce their need for insulin or other drugs.


Fiber may help promote weight loss, though not all studies have found this. People with higher fiber intake tend to have lower body weight. High-fiber foods are often lower in calories than other foods, and they help you feel full, so you eat less. Fiber may also reduce insulin secretion and alter hormones in the digestive tract that influence body weight.


Because fiber increases stool bulk and frequency of bowel movements, it is often recommended as a way to prevent and treat constipation - especially if you get very little fiber to begin with. Fiber, particularly insoluble fiber, also seems to help diverticular disease by preventing constipation and strained bowel movements, thereby reducing pressure in the colon. Whether fiber helps in irritable bowel syndrome or other intestinal conditions is uncertain - some people improve with certain types of fibers, while others feel worse.


Although atleast two large Harvard studies failed to prove any benefit of fiber in preventing colon cancer, experts still refuse to write it off completely. The idea that fiber could protect against colon cancer arose in the late 1960s when the British researcher Dr. Denis Burkitt observed that Africans who ate a traditional high-fiber diet rarely developed colon cancer. Experts think fiber may protect by speeding the transit time of waste through the gut, thereby reducing contact of carcinogens with the lining of the intestines. Or it may dilute carcinogens or inactivate them in some way.


Overall, findings from numerous studies have been promising, but teasing out fiber's protective effect from otherfactors is difficult. First of all, fiber isn't consumed in isolation. High-fiber foods tend to be rich in other potentially protective elements, such as antioxidants, cholesterol-lowering sterols, and other phyto-chemicals. Lots of studies show the health benefits of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, but how much this can be attributed to their fiber is unknown. Second, people who eat a high-fiber diet tend to have other good health habits, such as exercising regularly and not smoking, which may lower their risk of colon cancer and other illnesses.Third, high-fiber foods may be beneficial simply because they tend to be low in fat and calories and often replace meats and other fatty or sugary foods.


Dietary experts recommend 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories - for example, 21 grams for someone eating 1,500 calories a day, or 35 grams for someone eating 2,500 calories. Research suggests that people with diabetes should aim for even more fiber – 15 to 25 grams per 1,000 calories. Eat a variety of foods to ensure that you get a mix of fiber compounds. Choose whole grains over refined, whole fruits over juices; compare food labels for products with higher amounts.


Food is preferable. It's not clear if supplements provide the same health benefits as fiber-rich foods, which contain many important nutrients and phytochemicals. Nonetheless, supplements are a way to get additional fiber - even though they usually provide only small amounts per serving. Supplements come as powders, capsules, chewable tablets, wafers, and even cookies, and supply different types of fiber. Psyllium is the most common fiber supplement, used also as a laxative and to lower cholesterol. Some fiber supplements may interfere with prescription medications - so check with your doctor or pharmacist.


Add fiber gradually to your diet to allow your digestive system to adjust - and drink more fluids because fiber absorbs water; otherwise, the fiber could actually make you constipated. Some types of fiber, including psyllium and inulin, can worsen bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort in some people with irritable bowel syndrome.


Even if fiber does not help prevent colon cancer, there's good evidence it helps protect against heart disease and Type 2 diabetes and helps you stay regular; it may also help with weight control. Moreover, the fiber in foods tends to keep good company with many vitamins, minerals, and healthful phytochemicals, which add further health benefits.


* Aim for nine servings of fruits and vegetables (including beans) a day, afong with three servings of whole grains. For serving sizes, see box.

* Choose a high-fiber cereal, such as bran flakes. Or mix a high-fiber cold cereal with a favourite lower-fiber cereal. Eat oatmeal and other whole-grain hot cereals.

* Buy "100% whole grain" breads, breakfast cereals, crackers, and pastas. Opt for brown rice. Add a handful of cooked barley, jowar, corn or whole wheat grains to a green salad for a chewy texture and more filling meal.

* Use whole-wheat or other whole-grain flour for bread, chapatis, and cakes.

* Add wheat germ, wheat brain, oat brain, nuts, ground flax-seeds, or other seeds to yogurt, cereals, and baked goods.

* Snack on popcorn.

* Eat more beans in side dishes, atop salads and pasta, with rice, chapati. No time to soak and pressure cook kidney beans? Choose canned beans. Serve hummus and bean dips instead of cream cheese with toast.

* Top cereals and yogurts with berries and other fruit.

* Eat whole fruit instead of juice.

* Eat the skins of potatoes and other vegetables and fruits.

* Snack on dried fruit, such as apricots and dried plums (prunes), which are concentrated sources of fiber.

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