Sandhya Raghavan
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Written By: Sandhya Raghavan | Published : November 8, 2017 6:02 PM IST
We often get a lot of grief for not eating enough fibre. But what is enough fibre in the first place and what happens when you have too much of it? Often, when we begin dieting, we load up on salads and fresh fruits and end up feeling sick. It turns out, no matter what the raw foodists say, eating a truckload of raw vegetables and fruits may not be the wisest thing to do. In case you haven't got the memo, there IS such a thing as too much fibre. Dr Rajeshwari Shetty, Head of Dietetics SL, Raheja Hospital shares with us the biggest fibre mistakes we are making.
1 Suddenly increasing fibre intake
There importance going slow cannot be overstated. During our crash-dieting spells, we end up eating wolfing down too much fibre, which can be disastrous for our gastric health. "When we suddenly increase our fibre consumption, it results in abdominal cramps, bloating, gas and diarrhoea," says Dr Shetty. "Fibre has a reputation for aiding digestion and it does. But if you eat too much fibre or increase the amount you eat too rapidly, it can have the opposite effect.In very severe and rare cases, too much fibre can even cause intestinal blockage." So it is best to start out with moderate amounts, slowly increasing your intake as you go.
2 Not drinking enough water with fibre
Soluble fibres are our friends. They trap certain types of fats and sugars and show down their digestion. This is how fibre lowers our cholesterol and sugar levels. But soluble fibre loves water and has to absorb a sufficient amount to function. "If you don't have enough water with soluble fibre there is a risk of constipation, upset stomach and other digestive issues," says Dr Shetty.
3 Neglecting other macronutrients
Those who are in a hurry to lose weight often go on a fibre-intensive diet, comprising only of vegetables and fruits. Although the trick may help you knock out some water weight, it will leave you severely deficient of other nutrients like proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In the long run, these dietary habits can end up messing up your health. "If you re eating too much fiber and neglecting other nutrients in the process, you may develop nutritional deficiencies over time. As many foods that are high in fiber typically contain plenty of carbohydrates but not much fat or protein, for example, salad greens or whole grain bread," the doctor says.
4 Eating too much soluble fibre during diarrhoea and constipation
Fibre in foods such as oatmeal, beans, apples, berries and nuts are known as soluble fibres because they absorb a lot of water. One of the functions of soluble fibre is to aid bowel movements by softening the stools and helping it pass through the GI tract smoothly. The problem arises when it is eaten during diarrhoea. Dr Shetty says, "Insoluble fibre helps trigger bowel movements and speeds up digestion causing more diarrhoea."
Enough about diarrhoea; what about constipation? Shouldn't soluble fibre work against constipation? Dr Shetty has a different take, "Soluble fibre slows down digestion so it is not helpful during constipation. Soluble fibre acts a little differently in your intestinal tract. This softer fibre, from oatmeal, carrots and citrus fruits, to name a few, ferments slightly as it binds with fluids. During this process, it forms a type of sludge that slows down digestion making you more constipated."
"Fiber, particularly insoluble fibre, adds bulk to your gut. These fibrous foods aren t just hard on your teeth, but they re also hard on your digestive tract. Your body never fully breaks them down, leaving them virtually intact as they pass through. The problem is that when you add a lot of this bulk to your gut, it can bunch up and form somewhat of a blockade. It ll surely pass along, although it might take some time, leaving you constipated for a few days."
5 Eating too much fibre
Although fibre is an important component for normal digestion, eating too much at once can lead to gas, bloating, diarrhoea or constipation. Dr Shetty says that raw vegetables also contain significant amount of goitrogens, which can impair the thyroid functions."If you have a soluble-fiber-rich meal, it can drastically slow down the length of time it takes for food to pass through. You could end up with a bad stomach ache," she adds.
"When too much fibre is consumed water has a difficult time penetrating into the fibre mass. Much of the fibre remains dry resulting into a fibre clog," Dr Shetty adds. In addition to that, fibre also blocks absorption of some vital minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium. "Insoluble fibre is more likely to cause absorption problems" states the doctor.
