It seems that Americans don't get enough protein.
Usually, bodybuilders and athletes' fuel-sucking proteins have become the ultimate nutrient in the wellness world for weight loss, energy and muscle maintenance.
Nutritionists and gastroenterologists warn that the more you load into protein, the more important nutrients are left behind: fiber.
“We've had a lot of trouble with our diet,” said Christina Fasulo, a dietitian in the Department of Gastroenterology at UCLA Health. “Most people need to have a certain amount of fiber during their diet, and many of them are replaced by high protein diets.”
Dietary guidelines recommend 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men. However, the average American consumes only 15 grams each day.
Recent estimates show that 5% and 9% of men meet the recommended intake.
And for protein diets, which are primarily made up of meat, it's even more important to balance things with the fiber to keep things moving.
Why Fiber is an Important Nutrient
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot digest. It generally falls into two categories: soluble and insoluble fibers. It is believed that healthy intestinal habits should be maintained. It also helps to control blood sugar by slowing the rate at which sugar is absorbed from our food into the bloodstream.
“It prevents some of our blood sugar spikes that we see from our simpler sugars.
Fiber is important for maintaining a healthy gut microbiota and can reduce the incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes. A high fiber diet is associated with a reduced incidence of colon cancer, which may be due to its ability to bind to potential carcinogens or cancer-causing agents.
The true power of fiber is connected to intestinal microbiomes that require carbohydrates to reproduce.
The gut microbiota is a diverse community of trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria that live in the digestive tract, and plays an important role in digestion and immune function. If the microbiota is inbalanced, called dysfunction, it can include a lack of bacterial diversity, too few beneficial bacteria, or overgrowth of harmful bacteria. Changes in the microbiome are associated with a variety of chronic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes.
In fact, recent studies suggest that toxins produced by certain harmful intestinal bacteria may be behind the increased incidence of colon cancer.
Intestinal bacteria ferment ferment the fermented fibers and produce a molecule known as butyrate salts. This is believed to have anti-cancer properties, including inhibiting tumor cell growth and promoting cancer cell death, Fasulo said.
“If you don't have enough fiber in your diet, it's like you're starving your microbiota,” said Dr. Rabia de Latour, gastroenterologist at Nyu Langone Health. “When you get a really nice, healthy diet of fiber, it's like giving them a Thanksgiving dinner,” she said.
In other words, if the gut bacteria do not have enough fiber to eat, it can cause chronic problems in the microbiome.
Fiber is also associated with a lower rate of heart disease, which could possibly reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed from our diet into the bloodstream. Experts say more research is needed.
Types of fiber
There are two types of fibers. Soluble fiber is found in foods such as seeds, beans and lentils. It attracts water and forms a gel in the digestive system.
“Soluble fiber is like a sponge, and what's passing through the digestive tract is really slow,” Fazlo said.
Insoluble fiber found in vegetables and whole grains is insoluble in water and helps food move through the digestive system. Fasulo compares to street cleaners that pass through the intestinal tract to aid constipation.
“In particular, insoluble fibers, a type of mechanically stimulate the intestine,” said Dr. Orfemi Kasim, gastroenterologist at Northwest Medicine in Chicago.
It is important to get a mixture of both types of fibers, she added. However, some people want to consume more insoluble fiber depending on their symptoms.
“If you're someone who tends to have loose stools, you'll probably want to avoid insoluble fibers,” she said. “Soluble fibers become easier.”
Foods rich in at least one fiber per meal
Legumes, seeds and nuts are excellent sources of both fiber and protein. Fruits and vegetables have a higher fiber.
“If you can hit 20-30 grams of fiber from the food, that's ideal,” Kassim said. “You don't only benefit from fiber from eating apples in a day, but you're also getting all the great micronutrients like vitamins.”
Kassim contains at least one fiber-rich food in every meal.
Some of her favorite sources of fiber are apples and spinach, both of which have 4 grams of fiber and popcorn with about 6 grams of fiber.
In her own diet, Delatol focuses on lentils. Lentils each contain around 15 grams of protein and fiber.
Experts prefer to get the recommended fiber every day with just food. However, if it's a struggle, commercially available fiber supplements containing plantain, inulin and methylcellulose can help.
Methylcellulose is a soluble fiber that is not fermented, so it does not cause gas or bloating as much as some other fiber supplements. Inulin is a type of soluble fiber found naturally in a variety of plants, such as the Chicory Root.
Kassim, which treats patients with irritable bowel syndrome, often recommends methylcellulose as a supplement over the popular osilium shell, as people are likely to stick to it.
“Slowly, stable, hydrate.”
Beyond the recommended daily life, although not serious harmful, it can lead to discomfort. Kasim said it's about hearing how your body reacts to more fibers. Don't increase your fiber intake quickly. Otherwise, you will get unnecessary side effects such as bloating and excess gas.
“If you notice that you're feeling a little more sick, or you're a little too much in the bathroom, you can get away a little bit,” she said.
Fasulo recommends gradually increasing from 3-5 grams per day until the recommended daily dose is reached.
“Slow, stable, hydrated,” she said.
