Fiber is one of the most deficient nutrients in our diets. Food processing depletes the
fiber content of the food. We all know the benefits of fiber. It helps us poop. So much
more than going to the bathroom, fiber actually helps to regulate the uptake of sugars
from our digestive track into our blood stream. Fiber-less, refined foods break down
very quickly and cause our blood sugar to spike causing a rush of insulin to be secreted
from our pancreas. Higher blood sugar results in more insulin being produced. The
blood sugar that is not burned as energy is then stored as fat. Over time, this process
repeated over and over, leads to a diabetic condition where our pancreas doesn’t
produce the proper amount of insulin, called type 2 diabetes. It is one of the biggest
health concerns in the Western world today. As we gain weight, fat actually inhibits the
insulin trying to escort blood sugar into cells.
The modern farming practices (fertilizers, insecticides, early harvesting) all result in our
food having less nutrients than past generations. Let me reiterate, food processing is a
major cause for less fiber. There are two kinds of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble
means that it absorbs water and expands. Insoluble means that your body doesn’t
digest it and it doesn’t absorb water. Soluble fiber, because it absorbs water is a bit
slimy. When it expands it acts as a bulldozer, moving waste through your intestines
easily and quickly. Insoluble fiber acts as a scrubber, helping to keep the intestinal walls
free of buildup.
The reason that we want waste to move through our systems quickly is just that, it’s
waste! Waste is toxic and the longer it sits in our bowels the more of that toxic waste
gets absorbed into our blood. Also, the last thing we want is for waste to accumulate on
the walls of our intestines and sit there, slowly leeching toxic substances into our blood
over time. This is actually what many scientists believe leads to colon cancer.
Recall that most of us are chronically dehydrated. If soluble fiber needs water to do its
job correctly, then we aren’t helping it. On top of that, we can’t get enough insoluble
fiber in our diets without eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Generally fruits
contain more soluble fiber and vegetables more insoluble fiber. If we aren’t getting
enough insoluble fiber then we probably have toxic sludge sticking to our intestinal walls
all the way through our digestive system, yuck! Why are health officials so careful about
trying to keep landfills sealed and away from our drinking water sources? Because we
don’t want landfills leeching their toxins into our water supply and contaminating it.
Those who eat the typical Western diet are allowing exactly that to happen inside our
bodies...
Fiber also fills us up. Refined foods that are low in fiber generally break down very
quickly and easily inside our stomachs. This is generally why people who eat breakfast
cereals in the morning tend to eat more throughout the day, because they start their day
with a nutrient-lacking, low-fiber meal that triggers their body to want more and more the
whole day. With our stomachs half-full and lacking nutrients we are going to feel the
need to eat more. Once again, eating excess calories is what we want to get away
from.
Eating high fiber, nutrient dense meals will help our stomachs feel full and our bodies
satisfied we gave them enough nutrients to operate. This is a benefit to people who are
used to eating a lot. You can make salads and vegetable dishes as big as you want and
not worry about your weight. Vegetables are filled with nutrients and fiber that our body
craves. Eating more of them will only help you lose weight faster. Nothing wrong with
that.
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