Diets-Metabolism   [back to the Category]

Fibre   [read the french version]

Author :   Dr Paule Nathan

Fibre is provided by a number of foods
Fibre participates in good intestinal working and regular bowel movement and it controls the absorption of certain nutrients. Fibre is contained in foods such as fruit and vegetables, pulses and wholemeal cereals; foods which, unfortunately, are currently neglected. Their consumption, over the past three decades, has dropped considerably. Consumption of these foods is currently too low which is causing an increase in the frequency of some illnesses such as cancer.
The fibre calorie intake level is low because the digestive process hardly touches it. The role of fibre is essentially one of intestinal control. We can eat lots of good food but absorption is not optimal, if intestinal transit is not carried out properly. For example, in a case of diarrhoea, the contact time between food and the intestinal mucous membrane is very short, hence, absorption is not carried out properly. Likewise with constipation as bloating hinders the digestive process.