Obesity

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• Clobbers Cholesterol and Keeps Cardiovascular Diseases at Bay – This benefit comes from soluble fibre. Studies show that regular intake of foods high in soluble fibre – such as oats, beans and soyabeans – can reduce blood cholesterol levels by blocking its absorption. The soluble fibre, particularly beta-glucan fibre in oats, works by binding digestive bile acids; which are made from cholesterol, and shunting them out of the body before they can be recycled. So the body forces the liver to produce more bile acids for digestion, and to do so it turns to cholesterol in the blood. As bile acids are eliminated, and more cholesterol is used up, it leads to a gradual drop in the cholesterol levels in the blood. Fermentation of the soluble fibre during digestion creates chemicals that may further slow the liver’s production of cholesterol itself. Cereal soluble fibre seems to be more protective against coronary heart disease than the soluble fibre from fruits and vegetables. The good news is that nearly all of the total cholesterol reduction through the consumption of soluble fibre, comes from the bad LDL cholesterol and not the good HDL cholesterol. This means an even better ratio between total cholesterol and HDL, ensuring increased protection against cardiovascular diseases. Even an extra 5 grams of soluble fibre a day for persons not consuming sufficient fibre, lowers the total cholesterol level by 8 points meaning a 12% lower risk of heart attack.
• Defeats Diabetes – Numerous studies have linked fibre, especially the soluble variety, intake to reduced risk of insulin resistance and type-II diabetes. High fibre foods take a long time to digest, thereby helping to delay the absorption of glucose in the small intestine and also slowing the rate of glucose uptake from the small intestine. This means the sugars from the high fibre foods are released slowly into the bloodstream, need less insulin, prevent sharp rises and falls in blood sugar levels and ensures that you have plenty of energy throughout the day. A high fibre, low fat diet is good for the lipid profile and lowers blood sugar and blood cholesterol by an average of 32%.
• Busts Blood Pressure – Researchers have concluded that consumption of 25-30 grams of total fibre everyday lowers both the systolic and dialostic blood pressure, thus reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Prevents Colon and Rectal Cancers – High fibre (especially insoluble variety) diet defends against colon and rectal cancers in two ways. Firstly, the more bulky, fibre-rich foods people eat, the less unhealthy fat they consume. More animal fat in diet causes higher incidence of bowel cancer. Secondly, a healthy portion of fibre dilutes and speeds cancer causing compounds and toxins out of the digestive system more quickly – before they have a chance to make trouble to the colon walls. There is also evidence that healthy gut flora, encouraged by prebiotic fibre, helps protect against bowel and some other cancers – this may be linked to the production of butyric acid in a healthy gut which has been shown to lower the incidence of cancer cell growth. Fibre is known to reduce bile acids in the intestines, as well as certain bacterial enzymes, both of which are possible cancer promoters.
• Prevents Constipation and Related Diseases – Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal chronic ailment of particular concern to the middle-aged and the elderly, which may lead to severe conditions like high blood pressure, cancers of colon, stomach, pancreas, and breast and prostrate. Gastrointestinal tract is highly sensitive to dietary fibre. Fibre, especially insoluble, adds bulk to your stool by absorbing water in the intestines and making it soft to speed the transit time of undigested wastes and toxins through your lower intestines. This rapid passage prevents constipation, irritable bowl syndrome and other digestive problems. Lack of fibre causes the stool to become small, hard and difficult to eliminate without the intense straining that can cause ailments such as haemorrhoids, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, and varicose veins. It is considered that fibre is also a protector against other conditions like gall bladder disease, osteoporosis, hiatal hernia, appendicitis.
• Prevents Hormone Imbalance – Fibre helps to normalise oestrogen levels during menopause and assists in the detoxification of used hormones via the bowel.