¿Es la fibra el secreto para un intestino más sano?

Thanks to the keto diet, Whole 30 and other “fad diets,” the majority of our nutrition-related conversations tend to revolve around macronutrients — carbohydrates, fats and proteins — as well as added sugar and highly-processed foods. (All good things to pay attention to.)

Pero, ¿qué pasa con la fibra dietética? Me atrevería a suponer que no piensas mucho en esta área particular de tu dieta.

Una educación rápida sobre la fibra y el cáncer colorrectal

Would you be surprised to learn that most Americans (95 percent of us, in fact) do not meet the daily standard requirement of dietary fiber, which is 30-40 grams? If you’re like most Americans, your daily intake is probably more in the range of 15 grams. In a nutshell, fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods. Fiber is mostly found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, and is an important part of our diet for many reasons. There are two type of fiber: soluble and insoluble.

• Soluble fiber (found in oatmeal, nuts, beans, lentils and some fruits) helps lower glucose levels and blood cholesterol.
• Insoluble fiber (found in wheat, brown rice and green leafy vegetables) promotes digestive regularity and eliminates toxic waste from the colon.

Eating enough fiber is key to a healthy gut, and a healthy gut (meaning your small intestine and large intestine, or colon) is critical for preventing diseases like Cáncer de colon, which is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths. Colorectal cancer is strongly linked to lifestyle and dietary habits, meaning those small daily diet choices we make truly do matter.

La importancia y el futuro de las dietas altas en fibra y “inclinadas hacia las plantas”

Cuando observamos las dietas DASH y Mediterránea de larga data y comprobadas, así como la dieta basada en plantas de alimentos integrales más reciente, hay un tema recurrente: las plantas. Por lo tanto, nos referimos a estas dietas como dietas “inclinadas hacia las plantas”.

Vegetables, fruits and whole grains make up 80-90 percent of these food pyramids, along with increased emphasis on physical activity and strong social support. All of these diets are rich in natural fibers, which help regulate blood sugar and lipid metabolism. This also helps regulate your bowels, decreasing what we call “transit time” and as a result, constipation.

Las dietas de la mayoría de los estadounidenses se basan demasiado en grasas y proteínas, y no lo suficiente en fibra. Un estudio reciente reveló que cuando la grasa (principalmente grasa saturada) constituía hasta el 40-45 por ciento de la ingesta total de calorías de una persona, esta enfrentaba un mayor riesgo de cáncer colorrectal. Pero cuando solo el 10-15 por ciento de la dieta estaba compuesto de grasa, el riesgo del individuo era significativamente menor.

I’m passionate about educating people on how to lower their risk of colorectal cancer by focusing on gut health and nutrition. This isn’t just something I tell my patients. It’s a lifestyle I live myself — in case you’re curious, my family and I follow a whole food plant-based diet.

Cómo aumentar la ingesta de fibra

¿Ya estás convencido de que la fibra es la clave para un intestino sano? Aquí le mostramos cómo comenzar a integrar más alimentos ricos en fibra en su dieta.

Come más de esto…

Los alimentos ricos en fibra y bajos en grasas parecen mejorar la salud intestinal y tienen un efecto protector contra el cáncer de colon. Estos son algunos de sus alimentos “saludables para el intestino”:

• Verduras de hoja verde (espinacas, col rizada)
• Verduras crucíferas (brócoli, col y coliflor)
• Frutas enteras (bayas)
• Cereales integrales (cebada, quinua, arroz integral)
• Legumbres (frijoles, lentejas)

Opte por alimentos ricos en fibra e incluya una combinación de prebióticos y probióticos en su dieta. Estos alimentos ayudan a optimizar su microbioma intestinal, manteniendo su intestino feliz y saludable. Los prebióticos incluyen puerros, cebollas, ajo y avena. Los probióticos incluyen yogur con cultivos activos, kéfir y ciertos productos mínimamente fermentados como chucrut, kimchi y kombucha.

Y menos de esto…

On the contrary, foods that are high in fat and low in fiber are not considered “gut healthy.” In fact, quite the opposite. Red meat, smoked barbecue, highly-processed foods, foods high in sugar, alcohol — these items make up a large portion of the Standard American Diet ( SAD) and have been strongly linked to an increased risk for colorectal cancer, obesity, and several metabolic diseases including heart disease, stroke and diabetes, just to name a few.

Para una dieta saludable para el intestino, disfrute de estos alimentos con moderación:

• Carne de vaca
• Cordero
• Cerdo
• Manteca
• Queso
• Alimentos fritos
• Pasteles, tartas, galletas y otros dulces

The average person can have a well-regulated gut by eating nutritionally-balanced foods without supplements or vitamins, but certain health conditions may require additional nutritional support. So, don’t forget to check with your primary care doctor before undertaking any major dietary changes.

There you have it — all the information you need to start building a healthy diet for a healthy gut. Just remember: fiber is the key. The other key to a healthy gut? Getting screened for colon cancer.