Tag Archive for: fiber

Coffee to Go

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The health benefits of tea are substantial, and in some ways, coffee is even better. They both have substantial amounts of  phytonutrients, but this isn’t about the benefits to your heart, your liver, or your brain. This is about the comparative benefits to your digestive system of coffee and tea. While the fiber approach wasn’t really significant, one of the nutrients in both drinks was.

While I’ve never given it much thought, some people feel the urge to defecate shortly after drinking a cup of coffee, and to a lesser extent, tea as well. With all those phytonutrients, researchers selected a nutrient common to both to test: caffeine. That appeared to be the only study done to directly test the impact of caffeine on bowel movements.

The subjects were required to insert an anorectal manometer into their rectum to test the pressure of the anal sphincter muscles. (Let’s pause here to say a thank you to all the people who volunteer as subjects in these health studies.) There was no response to drinking plain water, but after caffeine ingestion there was a significant increase in pressure at 10 minutes and even greater pressure at 15 minutes. In short, the increase in pressure indicated the ability to “go” once the muscles relaxed.

The only issue I see is the amount of caffeine: the researchers tested at 3.5 mg/kg body weight. For a 180-pound person, that would be almost 300 mg caffeine in one dose, or almost four cups of coffee at one sitting. It would have been nice to see the lowest dose that worked, because not many people would tolerate that much caffeine in one dose. Then there is the issue of genetics, comparing fast metabolizers versus slow caffeine metabolizers.

The Bottom Line

That’s the scoop on poop from a coffee versus tea perspective. You probably never thought about it, but that morning cup of Joe just might help you go. Enjoy the Super Bowl—or not. But if you only watch it for the half-time show, you might want to consider your timing on what you drink, when you drink it, and how much caffeine you get.

Remember, the Aging with a Vengeance: Managing Pain webinar is in two weeks on February 25. Information will be coming soon.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: Dis Colon Rectum. 2008 Jun;51(6):928-31.

Fiber, Coffee, and Tea

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Paula’s recovery from her knee replacement is going well. While she’s been rehabbing, she does a lot of reading and recently passed on an article that compared the health benefits of coffee vs. tea. One of the comparisons was about fiber: did either have any? The article suggested that there was 1 to 1.5 grams of fiber per cup of coffee. If true, that would help fiber-lacking Americans reach their RDA of 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day.

I checked it out. In a single study, researchers found that there was about 0.5 g fiber in 3.3 ounces of brewed coffee or just over a gram per 8-ounce cup. If you drink coffee like I do, that could add up. But what about tea? Nothing really, whether brewed black or green tea. Matcha (green tea) does have fiber, but it’s not clear whether it’s just in the residue after brewing or in the liquid itself.

What coffee and tea both have are phytonutrients and plenty of them. While fiber might not be readily available, could there be something else that could help with digestion and especially, elimination? Yes, and I’ll tell you about it on Saturday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Mar 7;55(5):1999-2003.

Fiber: Food or Supplements?

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We don’t seem to eat enough whole or minimally processed plant foods, so the researchers were trying to discover whether getting fiber, especially insoluble fiber, was better from plant material or whether taking fiber in supplement form would suffice.

Researchers approached the question from the perspective of other beneficial nutrients that might be found in plants that might be processed out of fiber supplements. They conducted a literature search and found that just 44 studies that examined the phytonutrient content of many plant foods and met their criteria. They focused on insoluble fiber which would be found in the skin of apples and beans, seeds and nuts, and many other components of raw foods that are discarded in processing.

Bioactive Nutrients are Present

While the techniques are complicated and resulted in very long lists of various phytonutrients, insoluble fiber contains many of them. Part of the issue is that there are components we would never eat such as corn cobs or the peels of oranges. Fortunately, there are enough plants that we ordinarily eat that contain insoluble fiber.

That doesn’t mean that soluble fiber such as inulin and psyllium are not beneficial; they add bulk to the stool and help the digestive system in general. It also doesn’t mean that every source of insoluble fiber is beneficial; phytic acid found in the shells of beans can prevent minerals from being chelated and thus absorbed, but cooking the beans breaks down phytic acid without destroying the insoluble fiber. The good news is that the phytonutrients are there as we eat the foods.

Food or Supplements?

The study didn’t completely answer the question, mostly because of the paucity of research on insoluble fiber (or any type of fiber) and the beneficial nutrients it contains. They suggested that the challenges presented to the taste and textures of adding insoluble fiber to foods might be too challenging to be accepted by the public. While it’s easy to say “eat more plant-based foods,” getting people to do it is really difficult.

So if “Food or supplements?” is the question, my answer would be “Yes!” I think the convenience of having psyllium and inulin in powders is great because they mix well with water and can be put into drinks as long as they are consumed quickly. Adding a squeeze of lemon or a no-calorie flavor packet can make the drink more palatable.

For insoluble fiber, I think food is the way to go. Apples and pears with their peels, cooked red, black, chickpea, great northern, and other beans, root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and yams, carrots, oatmeal, flax seed, and bran as in bran flakes are excellent choices. They can be used in cooking, so be creative. Black bean salad, hummus, chili with beans, and many more sources can be eaten on a regular basis. We just have to seek them out.

The Bottom Line

The big benefit of insoluble fiber from foods is all the other phytonutrients you’ll also be getting. Just make sure you use spices to make them more palatable, including a little sugar if necessary. With Thanksgiving less than a week away, think of the sides you can create that could include root vegetables, beans, and other foods high in insoluble fiber. The old saying about an apple a day was more correct than we knew.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, Paula, Riley, Jamie, and I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you get to spend it with family and friends. The Memo will resume the following week. Be well and travel safely.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: Nutrients 2023, 15, 4138. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu151941382.

Natural Fiber vs. Added Fiber

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In a recent paper, researchers reviewed the literature to see whether there are benefits to eating more plant foods or whether adding insoluble fiber to processed foods would be an adequate substitute. But first, a review.

The Recommended Dietary Intake of fiber is 25–35 grams per day; American adults eat only 10–15 grams per day. You see the problem. Besides the benefit to the digestive system, other benefits include a lower risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Different fibers deliver different health benefits, depending on the chemical properties such as solubility, viscosity, and fermentability. That last one is an important one; the type of bacteria that proliferate in your gut is dependent on what you feed them.

Does insoluble fiber from vegetables, beans, nuts, and fruits, could provide better health benefits than getting fiber from processed foods or taken as a supplement? Many processed foods have their fiber removed, and then fiber is added to whatever food is made such as breads, pasta, and cereals. Turns out that plant foods may be better but not for the reason you might think. Isn’t fiber just fiber? I’ll tell you on Saturday.

Tomorrow night is the monthly Insider conference call. I’ll answer your Insider questions about conditions and products, and also expand on my recent take on vaccinations. Become an Insider by 8 p.m. Eastern tomorrow night and you can join in live!

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: Nutrients 2023, 15, 4138. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu151941382.

Ultra-Processed Foods: Losing Calories

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In our examination of the research on ultra-processed food (UPF), we’ve found out that we consume more calories and that we absorb more calories if we eat UPF. The final question is probably going to seem a little unusual. Do we actually lose more calories if we eat less UPF? In other words, do we actually eliminate calories if we eat a diet favorable to our microbiome? This is really interesting: we may actually not absorb every calorie we consume! I must admit that this one surprised me; I didn’t realize that we lost calories in our stool under healthy conditions.

Researchers wanted to test whether diet could influence the number of calories lost in feces among a variety of other variables. The researchers recruited 17 healthy, normal-weight to overweight men and women with an average age of 31. They designed a diet that could enhance the microbiome by feeding the healthy microbes that reside in the colon. They matched the diet for percentages of calories and macronutrients with a Westernized diet. The major difference was the fiber content and level of resistant starch; the Western diet included more highly processed foods.

At different points in the study, on both types of diets, they measured the exact calories consumed, calories used in exercise, rest, and sleep, and collected all urine and stool for 24 hours. The most interesting result was that the microbiome-friendly diet increased the calories lost in the stool by an average of 116 calories per day. The bacteria were using the fiber and resistant starch to manufacture more metabolizable calories, but they were lost in feces. They weren’t absorbed, so those calories do not apply.

What does it all mean? More than that, what is the question that hasn’t been answered by any study on ultra-processed food? I’ll cover that on Saturday.

And here’s one more reason to limit UPF, according to an article in the Washington Post: “…eating more pro-inflammatory foods, such as processed meats or sugary sodas, was associated with a higher risk of fecal incontinence. The authors hypothesized that pro-inflammatory foods could have negative interactions with the gut microbiome and diminish the function of the muscles and nerves of the pelvic floor.”

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38778-x

Are Ultra-Processed Foods Absorbed Faster?

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The next question to consider with UPFs is this: Do you absorb more calories from UPFs than you would from minimally processed food? The answer appears to be yes, but requires some explanation.

Keep in mind that UPFs have been mechanically and chemically altered during the manufacturing process. The original grains of wheat, corn, or even something such as carrots bear no resemblance to their original form. The components, especially the fiber, have been torn apart. What’s the big deal? The normal chemical bonds that make up the food matrix are no longer in the same form as they were. Therefore, they require less digestion and potentially can be absorbed much faster starting in the small intestine.

That can mean a couple of things. The higher the proportion of UPFs in the diet, the more calories from carbohydrates can enter the bloodstream and get there faster. Blood sugar goes up more quickly; if the calories aren’t immediately used, the extra calories can be converted into fat for storage, and don’t we all love that!

It also means that the food that could have fed our microbiome is no longer present—we’ve taken in plenty of calories, but our microbiome is starving. What nutrient is missing? Fiber in the form of resistant starch. What does it resist? Digestion and absorption. That’s the food for probiotics in the microbiome, and without it, our microbiome is starving and not as healthy as it could be. The more UPFs you eat, the more you need a fiber supplement.

There is one more question that needs to be addressed, and I’ll do that in the next Memo. In the meantime, how about a bowl of steel-cut oats, bean soup, or a nice salad? Your microbiome will be so happy!

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

References:
1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008
2. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38778-x

When Supplements Aren’t Absorbed

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If you take any type of dietary supplement, you want to make sure that you’re getting the active ingredient whether that’s turmeric, the mineral iron, or omega-3 fatty acids. The problem is that whether in its natural form in food or put into dietary supplements, nutrients can be difficult to absorb. In addition, the same holds true for pharmaceuticals as well. Here are some of the reasons why:

  • Taking supplements with food is important for nutrient absorption. If they’re fat-soluble, they need fat present to be absorbed. That’s problematic if someone takes the supplement without food or is on a low-fat diet.
  • I seem to always talk about increasing fiber in the diet, and we should, but fiber can interfere with the absorption of some nutrients. It may be the increased transit time or some form of mechanical blockage, but it happens.
  • Finally, gut health may also impact the absorption of nutrients. Lack of enzymes, too acidic or too alkaline, or lack of a healthy microbiome can also impact nutrient absorption.

All is not lost; the pharmaceutical and supplement industries have been working on ways to help deliver more active ingredients. I’ll cover those on Saturday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Yes, Fiber Is Healthy

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Almost all Americans need to increase their fiber intake by eating foods containing fiber as well as using supplemental fiber if needed. I do and will continue to do so with one caveat, which I’ll talk about later. Let’s get into the research that caused the headline about fiber and cancer.

Genetic Defects Were the Underlying Problem

Based on observational studies, researchers examined the role of soluble fiber on metabolic syndrome (MetS) in mice—not just any mice but mice that had a specific defective gene called Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5). These mice develop MetS when fed a modern diet. Researchers used several types of soluble fiber, including inulin and pectin. While the symptoms associated with MetS were decreased, they discovered that close to half the TLR5 mice developed liver cancer while the normal controls did not. Why? One thing they noted was that the TLR5 mice became jaundiced due to bile acids in their blood.

Based on prior research, researchers suspected that something was causing bile acids to enter the blood stream. There’s a strain of mice, C57BL/6 mice, that has a defect which causes portosystemic shunt (an abnormal vein connecting the blood supply returning from the intestines to the vein returning blood to the heart, bypassing the liver). That allows bile acids to build up in the blood stream, damaging the liver, and causing liver cancer. The use of high soluble-fiber diets speeds up that process because of the fermentation of the fiber by probiotics. Hence that’s why the results associated fiber with cancer. But is it an issue in humans?

Soluble Fiber and Liver Cancer in Humans

I think the risk to humans is negligible for two reasons. Based on the latest data, the risk for portosystemic shunt in humans is about one in 30,000. The researchers suggest it may be higher, but we don’t test for it. The caveat I mentioned? Bile acids can be detected by a simple blood test; if you want to be sure you don’t have an issue, just request that test to eliminate the shunt or any other cause of bile acids in your blood.

The second reason is that the researchers fed the mice 10% of their diet as fiber. In one trial the inulin content was 2.5% while in another it was 7.5% of the mice’s dietary intake. The Daily Value for humans eating 2,000 calories per day is 1.4% or 28 grams, and that’s mixed fibers. We currently average 0.7%. It doesn’t seem likely that even people who supplement their food with fiber supplements will reach a comparably high level of intake.

The Bottom Line

Don’t for a minute think that this research isn’t important because it is. We live in a society that believes if some is good, more must be better. What they’ve shown is that some soluble fiber is good for weight loss and the symptoms of MetS, as well as keeping your bowels moving smoothly. We don’t need to overdo anything; we just need to do the average. Try to get about 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily from foods and supplements, get the blood bile test to be extra cautious, and you’ll be fine.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

References:
1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2018.09.004
2. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2022.08.033

Does Fiber Cause Liver Cancer?

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What? Okay, that isn’t exactly what the health headline said. An article published in SciTechDaily last week said Diets High in Processed Fiber May Increase Cancer Risk. It appears they published the press release about a study from the University of Toledo. What piqued my interest was that it focused on my favorite fiber, inulin. That’s one of the soluble fibers I use together with psyllium husks every day.

What made this particularly disturbing was that the processed fiber appeared to contribute to a particularly nasty type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma. As you know, headlines are meant to grab your attention, but everything isn’t always as portrayed.

Let’s begin with some facts. In the U.S., 28,600 men and 12,660 women will be diagnosed with all forms of liver cancer in 2022. While it’s in the top 10 types of cancer, the U.S. has a population of 330 million, so that’s still not a huge number; rates are higher in less developed countries.

Typical intake of all types of fiber is about 14 grams on average, less than half of what the fiber intake should be. Depending on diet, fiber intake should be about 1.4% of the dietary intake by volume.

On Saturday, I’ll talk about the studies and put things in perspective. I’ll also be taking my fiber every day as well.

Tomorrow night is the monthly Insider Conference Call. I’ll be covering several health topics in the news as well as the 3/7 weight training program. Become and Insider before 8 p.m. Wednesday and you can join the call at 9 p.m.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: SciTechDaily. 10/10/2022. Diets High in Processed Fiber May Increase Cancer Risk

Side 2: Why Powders Are Better than Plants

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You might have thought that I was a food-only proponent when it comes to nutrition. Not in the least—I’m a big fan of the right kinds of supplements. I think we should start with real food, but we also have to acknowledge that the average person’s plant intake is woefully low: one or two servings per day of vegetables and two or three servings of fruit. It’s even less if we deduct juices. There are many reasons for that lack, but we need a practical solution. Powders can provide a partial answer, whether mixed into smoothies or plain water or consumed as capsules.

The primary reason vegetable and fruit powders are better is consistent content. If the label says 500 mg of blueberry concentrate or 300 mg of acerola cherry concentrate, that content should be there scoop to scoop or capsule to capsule. The produce we buy or even raise ourselves can vary widely in phytonutrient content.

Second, for the most part, the powders are convenient. If you always have a smoothie for breakfast, a scoop or two of the vegetable and fruit powder is a quick way to improve your diet.

The Issue with Powders

The phytonutrient content per scoop or capsule may change depending on when the vegetable or fruit was harvested—even in as little as a couple of hours. It doesn’t mean they won’t be there, only that the types and quantities of phytonutrients may vary slightly.

Another issue is finding a reliable, high-quality manufacturer. This may be a great time to listen to “The Characteristics of a Quality Manufacturer” in my audio on Supplementing Your Diet. If you don’t have a copy, the MP3 is only $4.95 and you be listening in a couple of minutes.

The Bottom Line

There’s room in a healthy diet to get your eight to ten servings of vegetables and fruits from food with an assist from vegetable and fruit powders if you need them. There are small issues with each approach, but using a complementary approach may help you achieve your nutritional goals while giving you the flexibility to meet your nutritional needs even with a demanding, unpredictable schedule. The lesson: Eat better. Some plants plus some powders can give you the best of both worlds, and that can help you get closer to the nutrients your body needs.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet