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Dietary fiber

Fiber

Indigestible carbohydrate found in all whole plant foods, most concentrated in legumes and whole grains. Gut bacteria ferment it into short-chain fatty acids like acetic acid and butyrate.

Food Sources

Foods that contain Dietary fiber.

  • Barley

    Eating whole grain barley for supper leads to butyrate release into bloodstream by next morning. | A cup of intact whole grains like barley groats may have 15g fiber

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Legumes

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Flaxseeds

    USDA data: flaxseeds are high in dietary fiber

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Legumes

    Legumes contain high content of unavailable complex carbohydrates including oligosaccharides, resistant starch and dietary fibres

    Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity

  • Whole grains

    Whole grain products, one of the greatest food sources of fibre, are made up of germ, endosperm, and bran; Grains contain a large amount of soluble and insoluble fibers, B vitamins and proteins; an indispensable source of essential nutrients

    Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity

  • Chia Seeds

    a good source of fiber in just one small serving

    Source: The Young Forever Cookbook

  • Quinoa

    is filled with fiber, and is gluten-free

    Source: The Young Forever Cookbook

  • Lentils

    complex carbohydrates, fiber, and protein

    Source: The Young Forever Cookbook

  • Chickpeas

    with high amounts of fiber, folate, and essential B vitamins for cell health and function

    Source: The Young Forever Cookbook

  • Buckwheat Groats

    Groats also contain insoluble fiber, which is particularly beneficial for gut health

    Source: The Young Forever Cookbook

  • Brussels Sprouts

    Brussels sprouts are packed with nutrients like gut-friendly fiber and immune-boosting vitamin C

    Source: The Young Forever Cookbook

  • Cabbage

    the cabbage is loaded with sweet, nutty flavors and contains gut-friendly fiber to aid in digestion and promote a healthy gut microbiome

    Source: The Young Forever Cookbook

  • Black-Eyed Peas

    Beans like black-eyed peas are highly nutritious legumes containing high amounts of fiber that can reduce inflammation and are good for your gut microbiome

    Source: The Young Forever Cookbook

  • Raspberries

    a significant amount of fiber and vitamin C

    Source: The Young Forever Cookbook

  • Spaghetti Squash

    spaghetti squash, a great low-carbohydrate alternative to pasta that is packed with fiber and beta-carotene

    Source: The Young Forever Cookbook

Health Benefits

Health conditions that Dietary fiber may influence, based on research.

Reduces Risk Of

  • Aging

    Higher fiber intake associated with 15% lower risk of premature death from all causes.

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Heart disease7g per day for 9% reduction

    Every 7g of daily fiber intake correlates to 9% reduced risk in heart disease

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Premature Death

    Associated with reduced risk of cancer, obesity, diabetes, depression, and premature death in general

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Breast cancer

    Greater fiber intake leads to lower estrogen levels by flushing excess through stool

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

    Those with higher fiber-feeding bacteria were 5x less likely to develop viral pneumonia or bronchitis; meta-analysis of RCTs found prebiotics reduce respiratory tract infections

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Cancer

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Stroke

    Source: How Not to Age

  • All-Cause Mortality

    Systematic review and meta-analysis: carbohydrate quality including fiber reduces mortality | Lancet systematic reviews and meta-analyses

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Cardiovascular Disease

    Systematic review and meta-analysis (Threapleton 2013) showing dietary fibre intake reduces cardiovascular disease risk | Lancet systematic reviews and meta-analyses on carbohydrate quality and health

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Type 2 diabetes

    Dose-response meta-analysis (Yao 2014) showing dietary fiber reduces type 2 diabetes risk

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Colorectal cancer

    O'Keefe 2015: fat, fiber and cancer risk differences between African Americans and rural Africans; plant-based diet reduces digestive cancer risk

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Osteoarthritis

    Two US prospective cohorts showed higher fiber intake associated with reduced risk of knee osteoarthritis

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Colon Cancer

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Constipation

    Constipation can be considered a nutrient-deficiency disease—that nutrient is fiber. Vegans are three times more likely to have daily bowel movements.

    Source: How Not to Die

  • Hiatal Hernia

    High fiber prevents straining that pushes stomach up through diaphragm. Hiatal hernias affect 1 in 5 Americans but only 1 in 1,000 in plant-based populations.

    Source: How Not to Die

  • Acid Reflux

    Fiber intake appears to decrease acid reflux risk. High fiber intake may reduce esophageal cancer incidence by one-third.

    Source: How Not to Die

  • Coronary Artery Disease25-29 g/day

    For each 10 g per day increase, mortality rate was lowered by 20% for coronary heart disease and by 34% for ischaemic heart disease

    Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity

Protects Against

  • Telomere Shortening

    10g fiber increase per 1000 cal equates to 4 fewer years of telomere aging; most anti-inflammatory food component

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Diverticulosis

    Those eating diets revolving around whole plant foods have 25 times lower rates of pressure diseases including diverticulitis

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Hemorrhoids

    25 times lower rates of hemorrhoids in those eating fiber-rich whole plant food diets

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Hiatal Hernia

    Hiatal hernias uncommon in plant-based diet populations at 1 in 1000 vs 1 in 5 Americans

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Varicose Veins

    25 times lower rates of varicose veins in those eating fiber-rich whole plant food diets

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Knee Osteoarthritisat least 25g daily

    25g+ daily fiber associated with significantly lower risk of moderate/severe knee pain; Framingham cohorts found higher fiber linked to lower symptomatic osteoarthritis

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Frailty

    Frail individuals show striking lack of bacterial diversity and deficit of fiber-eating good bacteria; fiber-rich foods, prebiotics, and certain probiotics improved performance in RCTs

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Osteoarthritis

    Dietary fiber intake associated with reduced knee pain and lower risk of knee osteoarthritis

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Constipation

    Constipation can be considered a nutrient-deficiency disease, and that nutrient is fiber.

    Source: How Not to Die

  • Acid Reflux

    Fiber intake appears to decrease acid reflux risk. High fiber reduces esophageal cancer incidence by as much as one-third.

    Source: How Not to Die

  • Chronic inflammation (inflammaging)

    Dietary fibers provide resistance to influenza through the activation of immune cells. Dietary non-fermentable fiber prevents autoimmune neurological disease by changing gut metabolic and immune status

    Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity

  • Osteoporosis

    Nutrients with a proven benefit include fibre, fruits and vegetables, and prebiotic foods.

    Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity

  • Aging

    Increase of dietary fiber intake may be a path toward longevity.

    Source: The How Not to Age Cookbook

  • Heart disease

    Denis Burkitt observed hunter-gatherers eating 100-150g fiber/day had no modern chronic diseases.

    Source: Young Forever

  • Type 2 diabetes

    Source: Young Forever

  • Obesity

    Source: Young Forever

Improves

  • Constipation

    Considered first-line treatment; constipation is a fiber deficiency disease; only 3% of Americans meet minimum daily fiber intake | Systematic review (Christodoulides 2016) confirming fiber supplementation treats chronic idiopathic constipation; Burkitt's work on fiber deficiency and colonic disorders

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Acid Reflux

    Increased fiber consumption recommended to deal with acid reflux without drugs

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Insomnia

    Fiber associated with more slow wave (restorative) sleep; saturated fat associated with more sleep arousals

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Periodontitis

    High-fiber, low-fat diet improved periodontal disease markers in a pilot study

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Osteoarthritis

    Higher dietary fiber intake associated with reduced risk and pain of knee osteoarthritis

    Source: How Not to Age

  • Asthma

    Soluble fiber meal challenge reduces airway inflammation

    Source: How Not to Age

Biological Mechanisms

How Dietary fiber works at a cellular level.

  • PromotesAMPK activation

    Gut bacteria ferment fiber into acetic acid, which activates AMPK. Even 30g/day of fiber produces more than 4 tablespoons' worth of vinegar in the colon.

  • PromotesReduces inflammation

    Fiber is the single most anti-inflammatory food component. Gut bacteria convert it to butyrate which suppresses inflammatory reactions.

  • InhibitsEndotoxemia

    Fiber gloms onto endotoxins, preventing the post-meal endotoxemia bump.

  • PromotesExcess Estrogen Excretion via Fiber

    Fiber grabs excess estrogen in the digestive tract; vegetarians excrete 2-3x more estrogens daily

  • PromotesFiber-Butyrate Pathway

    Gut bacteria ferment fiber into short-chain fatty acids including butyrate which dock on immune cell receptors

  • PromotesPrebiotic Effect

    Primary food for a healthy gut microbiome; every 1g of fiber increases stool by nearly 2g by boosting bacterial growth

  • InhibitsLowers Postprandial Glycemia

    Dietary fibre reduces the glycemic index of bread

  • PromotesProduces Butyrate

    Dietary fiber is fermented by gut bacteria to produce butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids

  • PromotesIncreases Stool Bulk and Frequency

    Burkitt 1972: dietary fibre increases stool bulk and reduces transit time

  • PromotesLowers Estrogen Levels

    Shultz 1986: natural fibers bind steroid hormones in vitro; Goldin 1994: dietary fiber reduces serum estrogen in premenopausal women

  • PromotesBoosts immune function

    Fiber intake associated with higher antibody titers to mumps; fiber reduces airway inflammation

  • PromotesImproves Gut Microbiota

    Systematic review and meta-analysis of fiber intervention on gut microbiota composition

  • PromotesFeeds beneficial gut bacteria

    Fiber fermentation by gut bacteria produces short-chain fatty acids beneficial for health (Tan et al. 2014)

  • PromotesIncreases feelings of fullness

    Fibre increases the feeling of satiety through various mechanisms and also regulates carbohydrate and lipid metabolism

  • PromotesLowers blood sugar levels

    Mechanisms by which high fibre consumption may reduce disease risk include reducing postprandial glucose responses (Gibb et al. 2015)

  • PromotesBlunts blood sugar spike

    Less processed carbohydrates and those with more fiber blunt the glucose impact

  • PromotesGut microbiome aging

    high-fiber diets improve gut microbiome diversity

  • SupportsLeaky Gut

    Fiber feeds good gut bacteria. Hunter-gatherers eating 100-150g/day had none of our modern chronic diseases.

  • PromotesGut bacteria ferment fiber into health-promoting short-chain fatty acids

    Gut flora ferment fiber into acetic acid in the colon, which is reabsorbed into the bloodstream

Recipes with Dietary fiber

Recipes featuring foods that contain Dietary fiber.

Sources

  • How Not to Age
  • Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
  • The Young Forever Cookbook
  • How Not to Die
  • The How Not to Age Cookbook
  • Young Forever
  • Outlive