Dietary fibre

                              
Dietary fibre is present only in plant food

Animal foods do not  contain fibre

 Dietary fibre is a type of carbohydrate that cannot be digested. It is found in edible plant foods such as cereals, fruits, vegetables, dried peas, nuts, lentils and grains.

Fibre is grouped by its physical properties and is called 

• Soluble,

• Insoluble

Soluble fibre:

Vegetables(spinach) & fruits,(mango, banana, apple)

legumes (peas and beans) 

fenugreek (methi) seeds

Oats

Barley

It dissolves in water in intestines to form a gel-like material.and delays the absorption of glucose.
, 
Insoluble fiber. 

Whole-wheat flour, 
Bajra, ragi
wheat bran,
nuts, 
beans  
vegetables,(cauliflower, green beans)
potatoes, 

Benefits of a high-fiber diet:

• insoluble fibre in cereals improves glucose tolerance.and also promotes the movement of material and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools 

• Normalise bowel movements.

• Also it lowers the risk of colon cancer

• Lowers blood cholesterol and glucose levels

• High fibre foods have low calories and low GI and hence diabetics should consume these foods liberally.

     Improves health and life span:

High-fiber foods tend to be more filling than low-fiber foods, so you're likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer.
And high-fiber foods tend to take longer to eat and to be less calories for the same volume of food.

• 

We eat less fibre:

Our diet is changing gradually over the last 50 years.
This is because our lifestyle has changed due to various reasons.

The opportunities for eating out have increased:

• Number of restaurants serving exotic foods
• Get-together
• Celebrations (marriage, birthdays)
• Kitty parties
• Frequent travel and access to national and international foods.

We enjoy eating out and look for an opportunity. In this situation we cannot go back to the past. But at least think and select our food while enjoying it.

When did you have this meal last?

White bread and brown bread

       
Bread is the oldest food since the beginning of agriculture.
It is a staple food with wide varieties, types and shapes. Additives are added to improve flavor, texture, color and shelf life.




Wheat grain:

• Bran:

     The outer layer which is rich in fibre and contains vitamin       and minerals

• Endosperm

     It is the middle layer and contains carbohydrates (starch)       and proteins

• Germ

     It is a nutrient rich core that contains anti oxidants, 
     vitamin B and E and healthy fats


whole wheat flour:(Atta)

The wheat grain is processed to include all three nutritious parts (bran, endosperm and germ) 

Whole wheat is much higher in fiber, vitamins B6 and E, magnesium, zinc, folic acid and chromium.

Refined Flour: (maida)

It is made from refined wheat grain.There is no fibre,
no vitamins and minerals. Only starch is retained.


This is white bread which consists

•  Excess starch

•  Bleaching chemicals,to restore the texture while baking

•  HFCS (high fructose corn syrup): a caloric sweetener.

•  Partially hydrogenated oil (trans fat) 

•  Artificial color and flavor

It's white because the flour used to make white bread is chemically bleached, just like you bleach your clothes. When you are eating white bread, you are also eating residual chemical bleach also..White bread is an example of a refined carbohydrate food.

It is softer and easier to eat than bulky whole grain bread and many consumers prefer the taste and texture.

Refined white bread (maida)
Good taste and texture (soft)

whole wheat white bread (Atta)

Brown bread:

Brown bread is made with whole wheat flour, which has been milled to a fine texture, giving a plain brown appearance     
                
                             OR

.Brown bread is a mixture of refined white flour with added   caramel for color, .

Multigrain bread 

It is a type of bread prepared with two or more types of grain. Grains used include barley, flax, millet, oats, wheat, and whole-wheat flour, among others. Some varieties include edible seeds in their preparation, such as flaxseed, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. 

However, the catch is that even multigrain bread may not  be whole-grain bread. It could be refined grain.
This is confirmed by looking at the ingredients on the pack. If the first ingredient is whole grain flour, then only it is made from the whole grain 

What to keep in mind when buying bread

Check label to see that the first ingredient listed is either whole wheat (atta) or whole meal flour. 

Do not buy if only wheat flour or refined wheat flour is mentioned. If the label reads ‘enriched’, the flour is same as  white bread.

Look for the words that appear as  the first ingredient

•Whole wheat bread

•Whole wheat flour

•Whole wheat spaghetti

•Whole wheat macaroni

•Whole wheat vermicelli

•Whole oatmeal

•Popcorn

If the first ingredient is refined wheat flour (maida), then it is not whole wheat bread.(It is refined white bread)

These words do not mean whole wheat bread

•Made with whole grain

•Made with whole wheat

•Multigrain

•Wheat flour

•100% wheat

•Stone ground

Fenugreek seeds are useful in diabetes

           
Fenugreek seeds (Methi)

It is used as a condiment for seasoning in India. 

Ayurveda has mentioned that it suppresses the excretion of glucose in urine and relieves symptoms of diabetes.

It is a rich source of fibre. It also contains an alkaloid (trigonelline) which reduces blood sugar level

National Institute of Nutrition,(hyderabad) has shown the beneficial effects of fenugreek seeds in diabetes.

Fenugreek leaves do not show such effect.

Therapeutic effects:

It has overall beneficial effect in diabetes

Reduces blood sugar and urine sugar

Improves glucose tolerance

Lowers blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides   

Dosage:

Two teaspoonfuls, along with lunch and dinner.

The powder can be taken in water or buttermilk,15 minutes before meals.
The powder can also be used in preparation of chapati,rice, dhal or vegetables

The bitter taste of the seeds is a drawback

Precautions:

It is a supportive therapy

The dose of anti diabetic drugs can be reduced in the long term, with the advise of the physician

Dietary restrictions should be continued.

Body weight should be kept normal

Some patients may develop diarrhea and gas formation initially

Do you know Glycemic Index ?

If you ingest 100 G of glucose, your blood glucose level rises by 100%. It means, glycemic Index (GI) of glucose is 100

If you eat 100g of boiled potato blood glucose will rise by 78%. So,GI of potato is 78

In this manner GI of various foods has been determined.and
these foods are grouped in 3 categories as:

High: (65 -75%)

White wheat bread, wheat roti, boiled rice, Cornflakes,
boiled potato, french fries, sucrose (table sugar), popcorn carrots, rice crackers /crisps, honey.

Intermediate: (45 -55%)

Fruits ( banana, mango, orange, orange juice, apple,
ice cream, multigrain bread, chapatti, soft drinks ,spaghetti

Low (30 -40%)

Chole, rajmah, Mung, beans, peas, lentils, soybean milk, yogurt, dates, chocolates

All intact whole grains have a very low GI score.

Glycemic index is a number. It gives you an idea about how fast your intestines convert the carbs in a food into glucose. numbers.The smaller the number, the less impact the food has on your blood sugar. 

GI index applies only to carbs and not proteins or fats

Carbohydrates with a value less than 55 or less are more 

slowly digested, absorbed and metabolized and cause a 

lower and slower rise in blood glucose and, therefore less 

insulin levels

Individuals who followed a low-GI diet over many years were at a lower risk for developing both diabetes and coronary heart disease, age-related macular degeneration and atherosclerosis
. 
In simple words, eating low-glycemic index foods (GI value <=55) helps to control diabetes and prevention of chronic disease. 

Bottom Line

Diabetics are advised not to eat rice. The reason is the 
high glycemic index of rice (78) But you do not eat dry rice, it is 
It is mixed  with curds or chole or rajmah, 

 A mixture of rice with curds will bring down rice induced rise in blood sugar.(GI of curds is only 41%) 

Similarly, GI of chole, rajmah ,lentils,is only 25%, and the mixture of rice-chole or rice-dal will bring down blood glucose raised by the rice alone.

What about potato?

It is true that GI of potato is 78%. But you do not eat only potato in your meals. It is a mix of cereals, pulses, vegetables, curds which will bring down the potato induced rise in blood glucose significantly.

Protein content of potato is low(2g/100g) but its biological value is equal to that of egg protein. It is a good source of carbohydrate and it must be a part of our diet. You cannot discard it just because it has a high GI.

Potato has very low calories (80/100g), high nutritive value and fibre content.

Mango and bananas have GI of 51% which is much less than rice or potato. plus both mango and banana have adequate fiber, vitamins and minerals. and both fruits have low calories.(80/100g of mango and100 /100G of banana) 
So it is very safe to have one or two mangoes in summer and one banana every day.

Eating Marie biscuits and avoiding mango and banana is strange. 

.

Our food habits are changing

Processed foods:

Food that has been altered in some way during preparation.

It can be as basic as freezing, canning, baking,and drying 

What are the processed foods?

• breakfast cereals
• Cheese

• tinned vegetables
• bread
• savory snacks, such as crisps, sausage rolls, pies  
• Bacon, sausage, ham, salami 
• "convenience foods", such as microwave meals 
• cakes and biscuits 
• Milk and soft drinks

Refined foods:




They are highly processed foods that have been stripped of their original nutrient content and fiber.

 White bread

 Crackers

 Cookies (made with refined wheat flour)

 Instant oatmeal

 Rice cakes

 White pasta

 White rice

Junk foods (More junk than food)

This term, dates back to the 1950s, These foods are high in calories from sugar or fat, with little dietary fiber, protein, vitamins or minerals. 
 The term 'junk food' is now replaced by the term HFSS foods.( high in fat, sugar and salt)  They are made from white flour and refined white sugar. (white bread,and cakes)

junk food provides empty calories,but none of the protein, vitamins, or minerals required for a nutritious diet.

Many foods, such as hamburgers,pizza,and tacos can be either healthy or junk food, depending on their ingredients and preparation methods.The more highly processed items usually fall under the junk food category, including breakfast cereals that are mostly sugar or high fructose corn syrup

Fast foods:

It is a type of mass-produced food designed with an emphasis on "speed of service" (Drive - through outlets) 

Fast food began in Britain in 1860 with the first fish and chip shops The term "fast food" was recognized in a dictionary by Merriam -Webster in 1951.

Fast food was originally created for the customers who did not have the time to sit down at a restaurant and wait for their meal. speed of service was the priority. Food can be taken home for the family. In U.S. the traditional family dinner is being replaced by the  takeaway fast food. 

Fast food has become a multi billion dollar industry.

Ready to eat foods:

Foods that have been prepared can be consumed as is, without any additional cooking,These foods can be refrigerated. They are shelf-stable, require minimal heating or are served hot. 

Soft-serve ice cream.
Hot dogs, luncheon meats, 
cold cuts.
Precooked chicken .

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• Adverse effects:
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• Too much sodium, added sugars, unhealthy fats, cooking oils, trans fats, preservatives,and calories.

No dietary fiber which is obtained from cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables

When children watch more  television (and advertisements on fast food), they are more inclined to ask for fast foods . 

Fast food restaurants advertisements target Children.

Negative impact on the health and academic performance of students. 

• Increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, colorectal cancer and depression.
  

  • Frequent consumption lowers insulin sensitivity
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  • Consumers tend to eat too much, Those who have satisfied their appetite with junk food are less likely to eat healthy foods like fruits and vegetables
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  When did you have this meal last?