Where’s Your Fiber ?

Nowadays, we often see advertisment about fiber. At an advertisment, we watch that the actor says ‘ Where’s your fiber?’ The actress shows her food which has meat, chicken and othersto the actor. But, the actor still complains. Why food which has protein, vitamines and other nutrition are not enough? Compared to protein, vitamine and other nutrition, dietary fiber is often uncounted. However dietary fiber has a lot of advantages for health, mainly to prevent body from many kinds of disease. It can be used as barrier from large intestine cancer, heart disease, and constipation.
According to Dr. Dennis Gordon, nutrition and dietary fiber researcher at North Dakota State University, US, dietary fiber ia carbohydrate which is indigested or unabsorbed by body, bu useful for ficiologic function of body. There are two kinds of dietary fiber, Soluble fiber like selulose and hemiselulose , and Insoluble feber like gel, gum and pektin. Those substancies can be taken from fruits, vagetables, grains, and beans which have difference contents.
The need of dietary fiber is different. It depending on age. According to Food Facts Asia (1999) adult have to consume dietary fiber 20-30 grams per day or 10-13 grams per 1000 kkal menu. Children over 2 years old, need to consume 5 grams per day which then increase untill 25-35 grams per day after 20 years old. The Old are suggested to consume 10-13 grams per 1000 kkal menu. Till now, there is no research for baby below 2 years old.
Dietary fiber is useful for our body. It prevents body from large intestine cancer (Colorectal) which is one cancer that is common in Asia. Dietary fiber keeps the large intestine function normal and repairs its function. High cunsumption of dietary fiber reduces the risk of large intestine cancer, espescially insoluble fiber.
The next is heart disease. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, US, reports that there is direct relation between cholesterol and heart disease. High cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease. Dietary fiber, espescially soluble fiber, can avoid fat absorption by body. Thus, soluble fiber helps us to decrease cholesterol in blood and also heart disease risk.
Dietary fiber also prevents body from Constipation. Constipation is situation when a person difficult to have a motion. Consuming insoluble fiber produces the soft faeces, then body only needs low muscle contraction to have a motion easilly. Dietary fiber also irritates peristaltic movement of intestine in order to have a motion normally. So, dietary fiber decreases the risk of constipation.
In summary, dietary fiber has a lot of advantages for our health. Dietary fiber prevents body from large intestine cancer, heart disease, and constipation. Thus, what are you waiting for? Find your fiber !!!