> Dieticians and physicians agree
Well then, it must be true!
> that a high fiber diet is the best diet not only for a healthy
> weight but also for a healthy heart and over all health and general
> well being. According to the Surgeon General,
Would this be the same Surgeon General who has been condemning fat
(even good fats, for a long time) since Congress said so in 1977,
which was entirely a political decision that came from a few staffers?
> the American Dietetic Association and the National Cancer
> Institute, fiber should become an essential part of your daily diet,
> and adults should consume 20-35 grams of fiber everyday for optimal
> health.
Good grief, this fiber thing is getting out of hand. I just read 35g
in a newspaper article last week too. Have any of these people looked
at a few food labels and seen just how hard it would be to get 35g of
fiber in anything resembling a normal diet? (And they think *we're*
obsessed and restricting our diets too much.) Most cereals that claim
lots of fiber don't have more than 5-6 grams. Whole grain breads
might have 2-3 if you're lucky. Most vegetables fall in the 1-3
range. I don't see how anyone's going to regularly (pardon the pun)
get 35g/day without supplements.
> For children the standard rule of 'age plus five' applies, for
> example a child of six should take eleven grams of fiber everyday.
Hmm, a "standard" rule I've never heard of. Ooookay.
> Most of us do not know the harmful effects of prepared and preserved
> snack foods. If we knew that these foods make our arteries thick with
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> need to introduce fiber in our daily diet. Many of us don't even get
> half the daily recommended numbers.
Of course, there's no reason "prepared and preserved snack foods"
couldn't have lots of fiber; it could be added to anything. After
all, "prepared and preserved" high-fiber cereals are presumably
awesome. If all that matters is getting fiber, why should you care
where it comes from?
> The reason why doctors and dieticians strongly recommend a high fiber
> diet is because fiber works effectively and efficiently in the
> cleansing process. The two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, play
> a significant role in eliminating toxins
Uh oh! When I hear "eliminating toxins," I get a grip on my wallet,
because there's usually a sales pitch coming for the latest gizmo or
super food/drug.
> and cholesterol from the body.
I don't know about you, but my body makes more cholesterol to replace
whatever I eliminate. Good thing, too, or I'd die.
> The water soluble forms of fiber absorb water soluble fats like
> excess cholesterol, and trap it, and escort it from the body in a
> healthy bowel movement. Insoluble forms of fiber (known as roughage)
> work like a broom to sweep the intestine clean of debris. Research has
> shown that high fiber diets decrease the risk of colon diseases,
> including Crohn's, Colitis and even cancer.
Ah, the "Scrubbing Bubbles" theory of biology: if you can draw a vivid
picture of microscopic activity that makes sense, it must be right.
Somehow I doubt there's any broom-sweeping-debris going on in any
sense, but whatever.
> Fiber is very good for a healthy cardiovascular system. It helps to
> maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Since fiber slows down the
> conversion of carbohydrate into sugar,
Is this true, though? Sure, fiber is a carbohydrate that doesn't get
converted, so it improves the ratio of food-carbs to blood sugar; but
does the presence of a fiber chain slow down the absorption of the
sugar chain next to it in any way? In other words, if I eat 5g of
straight glucose, will it be absorbed faster than if I eat 5g of
glucose with an additional 2g of fiber? I don't know.
> Doctors recommend a high fiber diet for all those fighting elevated
> cholesterol, the battle of the bulge, or digestive irregularity.
> Indeed, it has almost become a slogan to say, 'Five a Day', that is
> five servings of fruit and vegetables per day is a must.
*Almost* a slogan? It's *only* a slogan. Put it on the shelf next to
"8 glasses of water a day" and "an apple a day keeps the doctor away."
Oh well, I'm bored with this. I'm convinced that fiber consumption
only became an issue when people cut back on fat enough for
constipation to become a problem. Fat seems to lubricate that system
just fine. Maybe it doesn't "sweep out debris," but I think I can
live with that.

Signature
Aaron -- 285/235/200 -- aaron.baugher.biz
Roger Zoul - 27 Jun 2007 13:52 GMT
:: Good grief, this fiber thing is getting out of hand.
No kidding. Is fiber the magic food that is really a nonfood? Good grief!
Truth is, all this gives the media and the spamming idiots something to
write about and send in e-mails.
::: For children the standard rule of 'age plus five' applies, for
::: example a child of six should take eleven grams of fiber everyday.
::
:: Hmm, a "standard" rule I've never heard of. Ooookay.
Standard as of when the moron created this spam-mail, no doubt.
:: awesome. If all that matters is getting fiber, why should you care
:: where it comes from?
Wood is free!
::: The reason why doctors and dieticians strongly recommend a high
::: fiber diet is because fiber works effectively and efficiently in the
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
:: because there's usually a sales pitch coming for the latest gizmo or
:: super food/drug.
Oh, I thought the reason so was slows down the conversion of carbs to
glucose....
::: and cholesterol from the body.
::
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
:: right. Somehow I doubt there's any broom-sweeping-debris going on in
:: any sense, but whatever.
Hell, just spread 'em wide and insert brush....
::: Fiber is very good for a healthy cardiovascular system. It helps to
::: maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Since fiber slows down the
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
:: straight glucose, will it be absorbed faster than if I eat 5g of
:: glucose with an additional 2g of fiber? I don't know.
I don't believe it one bit....IME, fat is the only thing that can slow the
rush of BG level in response to a big carb hit....
::: Doctors recommend a high fiber diet for all those fighting elevated
::: cholesterol, the battle of the bulge, or digestive irregularity.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
:: to "8 glasses of water a day" and "an apple a day keeps the doctor
:: away."
It's the old notion that diet is very, very strongly linked to our health
taken to an unnatural limiting point that there are miracle foods and
substances (or things we should not eat) that we can consume to cure all our
ills and woes. It's all mostly nonsense and is only useful in a marketing
sense. Marketing one wild, if you ask me.
:: Oh well, I'm bored with this. I'm convinced that fiber consumption
:: only became an issue when people cut back on fat enough for
:: constipation to become a problem. Fat seems to lubricate that system
:: just fine. Maybe it doesn't "sweep out debris," but I think I can
:: live with that.
When I eat a pile of nuts, my poop floats. Ok, TMI! Hopefully, none will
read this far!!! :)
Pat - 27 Jun 2007 19:07 GMT
> Wood is free!
>
>mmmm, nothing like a good slab of red oak....