Many people who want to improve their health try to increase their fiber consumption by eating more vegetables. But if all vegetables are beneficial for health, not all are particularly rich in fiber.
You can eat quantities of salad and vegetables without reaching the recommended fiber daily intake. So what are the vegetables richest in fiber? We take stock of what you should remember.
How to define the fibers and in what quantity should we consume it?
Fibers, or dietary fibers, designate parts of vegetable foods that our organism can neither digest nor absorb. They cross the stomach and the intestines practically without modifications, then they are eliminated from the organism with the stool.
There are two types of fibers whose health functions and effects on health differ: soluble fibers and insoluble fibers.
- Soluble fibers dissolve in water and can help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. Their food sources include fruits, vegetables and legumes (also called pulses).
- Insoluble fibers increase the volume of stools, which facilitates the passage of food in the intestines. Their food sources include nuts, seeds and full cereals.
These two types of fibers are beneficial. Australian directives in favor of a good diet recommend that women consume 25 grams of fiber per day and men to consume 30 grams per day.
However, research shows that most people do not consume enough fibers. Most adults consume about 21 grams per day. In France, the recommendations for adults are set at 25 grams per day. But the vast majority of people aged 18 to 54 do not reach this level of fiber consumption.
Four good reasons to increase your fiber consumption
Increasing your fiber consumption is a simple and effective way to improve your general health. Make small changes to eat more vegetables containing fibers can lead to:
- Better digestion: fibers help maintain regular intestinal transit and can relieve constipation.
- Better cardiovascular health: increased soluble fibers (by consumption of foods such as fruits and vegetables) can help reduce cholesterol levels, which can reduce your risk of cardiovascular pathologies.
- Better weight management: fiber -rich foods are full, which can help people feel wrapped longer and avoid going too much.
- A reduction in the risk of diabetes and an improvement in your well-being: fiber-rich diets can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer.
Research work published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet has provided revealing statistics on the importance of fibers. The researchers, who combined the results of several clinical trials, found that people who consumed between 25 and 29 grams of fibers per day had a reduced risk of 15% to 30% of developing potentially fatal pathologies such as heart disease, cerebral vascular accidents, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, compared to those who consumed less than 15 grams of fibers per fiber day.
What are the richest and poorest vegetables in fiber?
Vegetables are excellent sources of soluble and insoluble fibers, as well as essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The following vegetables are among the richest in fiber:
- the pea,
- lawyer,
- artichoke,
- the parsnip,
- Brussels cabbage,
- curly cabbage,
- Sweet potato,
- Beet,
- the carrot,
- broccoli,
- The pumpkin.
Vegetables compared poorer in fibers are as follows:
- asparagus,
- spinach (raw),
- cauliflower,
- mushrooms
- pepper,
- tomato,
- lettuce,
- Cucumber.
These vegetables have many health benefits. But if you want to achieve your fiber intake goal, when you consume them, don’t forget to complete your diet with other vegetables richer in fiber.
Does the way we prepare vegetables its importance?
The way we prepare vegetables can have an impact on their fiber content, as cooking can cause structural changes in the components of dietary fibers. Research works have shown that cooking under pressure reduces more fiber content than ordinary cooking (roasted for example) or in microwave.
For optimal health, it is important to include in your diet a mixture of cooked and raw vegetables. It is interesting to note that fruit juices eliminate most of the fibers and essentially leave sugars and water. To improve your fiber intake, it is better to eat whole plants rather than being satisfied with their juice.
What about other sources of non -vegetable fibers?
To comply with the recommendations for daily fiber intake, it is possible to choose from a variety of fiber -rich foods (which is not limited to vegetables), in particular:
- legumes and pulses (such as white or red beans, and chickpeas),
- Complete flour and bread,
- Fruits,
- Complete cereals (such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, barley),
- Nuts and seeds (like flax seeds and chia seeds).
A day rich in fiber that respects the 25 to 30 grams of recommended fibers would include the following elements:
- Breakfast: 1⁄2 cup of oatmeal with milk and 1⁄2 cup of berries, or about 6 grams of fibers,
- snack: a banana, or about 2 grams of fiber,
- Lunch: two cups of vegetable salad, 1⁄2 mixture of four beans and tuna in the box, or about 9 grams of fibers,
- En-Cas: 30 grams of almonds, or about 3 grams of fibers,
- Dinner: 1.5 cups of sautéed vegetables with tofu or chicken, a cup of cooked brown rice, or about 10 grams of fibers,
- Dessert: 1⁄2 strawberry tray with a little yogurt, about 3 grams of fiber.
Take advantage of the nutritional qualities of different vegetables
Vegetables are a key element of a healthy and balanced diet. They are full of fibers that promote digestion, control of blood sugar, weight management and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
However, their nutritional value can vary depending on the type of vegetable and the cooking method used. By better understanding of the fiber content of different vegetables and how the cooking methods affect them, it is possible to make enlightened food choices to improve our overall health.
