Recently, fiber has started to take an important place in nutrition and protection of health and to attract attention. What is fiber that is thought to be so important for our body? Pulp; non-starch polysaccharides that form the plant cell wall; nondigestible oligosaccharides; They are compounds composed of lignin and resistant starch. The elements that make up the pulp are grouped under various subheadings. We can list these subheadings as raw fiber, dietary fiber, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, gums and gums, and guar. Raw pulp; Contains cellulose, heme, cellulose and lignin. Dietary fiber is a very important compound in nutrition and diet therapy due to its positive effects on the gastrointestinal system, although it is not digested by enzymes in the gastrointestinal system. It is not yet known exactly how much it is found in foods. Cellulose; It is a structure that provides support to plants. It has the feature of not dispersing in water. It consists of 3000 or more glucose molecules brought together. They are not hydrolyzed in the digestive system, therefore they are the indigestible parts of food. Hemicellulose, like cellulose, is a carbohydrate that is not digested in the body. It consists of uronic acid, glucose and galactose. Lignin; Together with cellulose, it forms the basis of the woody part of plants. Pectin; They are the water-soluble parts of pectic elements. It is found in the structure of the cell wall combined with proteins. It contains a significant amount of dietary fiber. In its general definition, pulp; They are complex carbohydrates that the human body cannot digest or absorb into the bloodstream. Since fiber is not digested in the body, it is eliminated from the body without being used. The point to be considered is that the pulp is taken from natural foods. In this way, not only fiber but also other nutrients that the body needs are provided with natural foods. Dietary fiber is physiologically divided into two. The first is soluble fiber and the second is insoluble fiber. Two types of fiber can coexist in foods. For example, fruits and vegetables contain a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber. Fruits have more soluble pulp; Vegetables contain more insoluble fiber. If we talk about soluble fiber in more detail; Soluble fiber constitutes 15-50% of all dietary fiber. Soluble pulp swells in water and forms a gel-like structure. ur. Examples of soluble fibers are gums, beta glucan polysaccharides, mucilage found in oats, and resistant starch found in legumes. Soluble fibers have a sticky consistency in foods. The substance that gives the gel consistency in jams or jellies is pectin, which is a soluble pulp. Soluble fibers are also effective in balancing blood sugar in the body. Insoluble pulp absorbs water but does not form a gel-like structure. Products made from whole wheat flour, corn and wheat bran, fruit peels and root vegetables contain insoluble fiber. Cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are insoluble fiber types. Insoluble fiber makes up the majority of all dietary fiber. Insoluble fiber retains water and regulates the movement of waste products in the intestine. They regulate the functioning of the intestines and prevent constipation by adding softness and volume to the stool. It accelerates the passage of feces in the intestine and shortens the time it stays in the intestine. In this way, the passage of microorganisms that will damage the intestinal wall is accelerated.
If we list the sources of fiber, the foods containing the highest amount of fiber are legumes. Then come nuts, whole grain products, vegetables and fruits. Raw ones contain more dietary fiber than cooked ones, and shelled ones contain more dietary fiber than unshelled ones. By removing the bran of the grains, the pulp ratio decreases significantly. As the water evaporates in dried foods, the volume decreases, so more can be eaten and more pulp enters the body. Pulp sources are also divided into two. One is natural fiber sources and the other is fiber concentrates. We can give examples of natural fiber sources such as legumes, nuts, whole grain products, vegetables and fruits. We can give examples of pulp concentrates such as gum arabic, guar gum, oat husk, wheat bran, rice bran.
USE OF FIBER IN THE BODY
There are opinions that foods containing fiber increase chewing and salivation and reduce total food intake. Another opinion about the effect of fiber foods is that they reduce the digestion rate in the stomach and the rate of gastric emptying. Individuals who eat low-fibre diet have less defecation frequency; it is more difficult for stool to pass through the intestine; outside It has been observed that the color of the stool is darker and the stool is harder. The main function of pulp is related to the large intestines. The pulp, which passes unchanged from the small intestine to the large intestine, begins to be used by the bacteria in the large intestine. Cellulose is not affected by digestive enzymes in the small intestine, but intestinal microorganisms break down cellulose. Likewise, hemicellulose is not affected by digestive enzymes, but is broken down into its components by microorganisms in the intestines and provides the body with a small amount of energy.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FIBER AND DISEASE
It has been known for a long time that there is a relationship between fiber content of the diet and diseases. There are studies showing that high fiber consumption reduces blood lipid levels. It has been observed that consuming fiber in the diet has a lowering effect on cholesterol levels. It is known that dietary fiber is associated with cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, intestinal diseases and dental health. At the same time, pulp also has an antitoxic effect. Low fiber intake causes food to stick to the teeth and facilitates tooth decay. There are also many studies on the functions of fiber on the colon. Fiber is also effective on calcium, iron and zinc. It has been determined that products made from whole wheat flour reduce serum iron, zinc and calcium levels. It is known that dietary fiber is especially protective against colon cancers. Dietary fiber positively affects the intestinal flora, preventing the proliferation of harmful bacteria and reducing the contact time of toxic elements with intestinal cells. It has been determined that increasing dietary fiber by 13 grams per day provides 31% protection against such cancers. Fiber accelerates the passage of feces through the colon, increases the volume of feces and the number of defecations, dilutes the feces, retains organic and inorganic substances, increases the number of beneficial microorganisms, and thanks to these positive properties, it protects against colon cancers. Foods containing fiber increase their effectiveness because they also contain nutrients that protect against cancer. Another study found that consuming foods high in fiber in the diet reduces the risk of gastric cardia cancer and esophageal cancer. truck. The most common colon disease is constipation, and fiber is very important in preventing constipation.
The relationship of fiber with cardiovascular diseases is also explained by its effect on lowering blood cholesterol levels. Especially in societies with high soluble fiber consumption, blood cholesterol levels and death rates from cardiovascular diseases have been found to be low. Soluble fiber achieves this effect by preventing the absorption of bile acids from the intestines and reducing the concentration of precursors required for cholesterol synthesis. In addition, the elements found in other fiber sources reduce blood cholesterol levels by preventing cholesterol synthesis in the liver. Consuming dietary fiber sources from whole grains and fruits reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. At the same time, high fiber prevents the risk of atherosclerosis. There is a negative relationship between CRP level, which indicates the presence of inflammation in the body, and fiber intake.
The protective effect of dietary fiber on diabetes is provided by balancing blood sugar by providing satiety. Foods with high fiber content generally have a low glycemic index, which helps keep blood sugar balanced. It also slows down carbohydrate absorption by delaying gastric emptying. Individuals with diabetes are recommended to consume 25-50 grams of fiber daily and choose foods with low glycemic index. As a result, we should give importance to fiber consumption in the diet in order to have a better quality of life and prevent many diseases.
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