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A lot of individuals wonder what fibers actually are and why they could be beneficial to them and what whole grains are. I will try to answer these questions in this post.

Dietary fibers are nondigestible carbohydrates (due to the fact that they are resistant to hydrolysis, which is a chemical process where molecules are split into two parts through added water). Dietary fibers are therefore carbohydrates that we, humans, can not digest in contrast to ruminants, such as the cow, and we can therefore not extract energy from it... Except for one little fact which I will write about below.

Dietary fibers are often divided into subgroups. Such as fermentable fibers, non fermentable fibers, (water) soluble fibers, (water) insoluble fibers, gel forming fibers and non gel forming fibers. All these different group of fibers come with slightly different benefits.

Bacteria in our intestines ferment (splint through an anaerobic process) a particular subgroup of dietary fibers, the fermentable dietary fibers into different substances, such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen gas, hydrogen sulphide, methane, but also short chains of fatty acids such as acetate, propionic acid and butyrate. These fatty acids have some positive effects just like all other dietary fibers, but acetate in particular is the one fatty acid that is most commonly produced and is the only acid which grants us energy, because it reaches the blood circulation. Propionic acid is known to reduce the cholesterol production. Butyrate is the foremost energy source for the intestinal cells, and therefore it stimulates its growth, but it also aid in apoptosis - cell death of cancer cells.

In short: We eat fermentable fibers, bacterias in our intestines splint them into acetate which we can use as an energy source. This is where 2 kilocalories of (fermentable) dietary fibers per gram comes from. 1 gram of fermentable fibers equals 2 kilocalories, or approximately 8.36 kilojoule.

Dietary fibers can be found in pretty much all foods from the vegetable- and plant kingdom - Vegetables, fruits, leguminous plants, grains (particularly whole grains), nuts and so on.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Department of Health and Human Services recommended, in 2005, a daily intake of 28 g for the average adult women and 35 g for adult men depending on daily caloric intake. In Sweden the recommmendation is 25-35 grams per day, pretty much the same.

Dietary fibers, or roughage as it can be called, have a great many benefits. Here are a few:

Reduce cholesterol production

Some grant energy (through acetate)

Lowers the glycemic index (GI)

Lowers the pH-value

Bind water (Bulk effect)

Increase intestine volume (Bulk effect)

Reduced risk of constipation (Bulk effect)

Reduced risk of diarrhea

Reduced risk of cancer, particularly colon cancer

Increase saturation (aid in weight loss)

Ease the mineral absorption

Ease the electrolyte (different ions) absorption

Slows down the gastric emptying

Ease the water absorption (drink water if you have increased your fiber intake!)

Reduced risk of obesity/overweight

Reduced risk of heart attack

Reduced risk of diabetes

Reduced risk of mental illnesses through avoidance of several diseases (obesity etc)

Reduced risk of stroke

Increases health and function of gastrointestinal system

Increases the immune system's health

Keeping the blood sugar levels steady

Reduced risk of dental caries

Protection against unhealthy substances in our intestines

Reduced risk of kidney stones

Reduced risk of skin breakouts and rashes

etc

Now some bad news, according to a study released in 2009, the average fiber intake for adults and children in the US are less than half of the recommendations. Eat more fibers! Especially considered all the above benefits.

One last thing I would like to write about is whole grain. I have been asked what the difference between whole grain and dietary fibers are. And the difference is pretty big but still understandably slight.

Now, whole grains are nothing but grains whom still have the endosperm, bran (most fibre-rich) and germ intact. The husk, or shell is pretty much complete. These whole grains often contain high amount of fibers. So, whole grains contain, amongst other things, fibers, and fibers are where all the benefits come from.

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Dietary Fibers / Roughage & Whole Grain

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A lot of individuals wonder what fibers actually are and why they could be beneficial to them and what whole grains are. I will try to answer these questions in this post. Dietary fibers are nondigestible carbohydrates (due to the fact that they are resistant to hydrolysis, which is a chemical process where molecules...

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Toast

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Beans

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Jack Norris

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Potato

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Fibre is found in plant foods like whole grain bread, cereals, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Its the part of the plant that passes through the small intestine without being digested contributing to gut health. There are two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre characteristically forms a gel in water. This viscous substance slows down digestion playing a role in making you feel fuller for longer and controlling blood sugar levels.

Insoluble fibre passes through the gastrointestinal tract relatively unchanged. It absorbs water and contributes to the bulk of bowel movements.

Both forms of fibre are important for:

Bowel regularity and gut health

Prevention of heart disease through cholesterol lowering properties

Prevention of diabetes and obesity

Prevention of constipation

Where is soluble fibre found:

Where is insoluble fibre found:

While fibre is vital for healthy digestion, it should be combined with adequate daily water intake and exercise.

How much fibre do children need?

Where can children get fibre?

Simple ways to boost fibre intake:

* Use wholemeal or wholegrain breads instead of white varieties (unless fortified)

* Select wholegrain breakfast cereals over highly refined choices

* Opt for wholegrain crackers as snacks instead of sweet biscuits or plain crackers

* Use wholemeal pasta and brown rice instead of white varieties

* Replace ¼ - half the white flour in your recipes with wholemeal flour

* Have 2 serves of fruit, 5 serves of vegetables and a handful (30g) of nuts everyday

* Add kidney or canellini beans and lentils to pasta sauces, casseroles and bakes

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Fibre is found in plant foods like whole grain bread, cereals, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Its the part of the plant that passes through the small intestine without being digested contributing to gut health. There are two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre characteristically forms a gel in water.

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MILK!

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Lachy juicy chicken

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JACKS MEAT

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The meaning and symbolism of the word - "Meat"

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Meaning of the dream in which you see the Meat. Detailed description about dream Meat.

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With Fall here and the pumpkins almost ready, we thought we would share some fun and informative things about the often over looked pumpkin. Rich in folklore and medicinal uses, pumpkin is more than a symbol of autumn. When you say pumpkin most people think of jack o lanterns on Halloween night and yummy cinnamon-laced pies at Thanksgiving. And while those are some of the fun & tasty ways to use pumpkin they are by no means its only uses.

Pumpkins are a type of squash and originated, like potatoes and tomatoes, in the Americas. The name pumpkin is derived from the Greek "pepon" which, depending on the reference source, means either "ripe," "mellow," "cooked by the sun," or "large melon."

According to archaeological records in Mexico (8750 B.C.), c. pepo appears to be one of the first domesticated plant species. Pumpkins and other species of squash, along with beans and corn, were considered the "three sisters" by Native Americans, who planted them together. Native Americans roasted and dried pumpkin strips and used them to make everything from sleeping mats to flour. They also brewed the crushed seeds into a tea to treat such afflictions as edema, gout, kidney stones, and bladder infections.

When the first explorers arrived in America, they noticed the pumpkin plant in the cultivated maize fields of the Native people and learned that it they utilized pumpkin for both medicine and for food. An emulsion made from a mixture of pumpkin and watermelon seeds served to heal wounds for members of the Yuma tribe. The Catawbas ate the fresh or dried seeds as a kidney medicine, while the Menominees drank a mixture of water and powdered squash and pumpkin seeds to ease the passage of urine. In settler folk medicine the ground stems of pumpkin were brewed into a tea to treat "female ills," and the ripe seeds were made into a palatable preparation to dispel worms. It was used externally for rheumatism and swelling. A poultice of seeds and blossoms is applied to cactus scratches

Although Columbus carried pumpkin seeds back with him to Europe, the squashes grown from them were initially fed to pigs! It wasn't until centuries later that their value became more appreciated in the Old World. In the New World settlers hollowed out pumpkins to fill them with milk, spices, and honey, and roast them in hot ashes. Voila! A pudding very similar to pumpkin pie!

The original Jack-O-Lanterns were not carved from pumpkins. They derived from an Irish fable about a wiley lad called Stingy Jack, who tricked the devil into promising not to take his soul. Unfortunately, however, heaven didn't want Jack either! So he was doomed to wander the earth, his way lit only by a coal from hell inside a carved out turnip. Superstitious folks carved scary faces on turnips, potatoes, or beets and set them in their windows for the purpose of welcoming home the spirits of deceased ancestors as well as ward off Jack and other wandering spirits. Hence the name Jack-O-Lantern.

And, of course, in story and rhyme, pumpkins have come in handy for everything from helping Peter Pumpkin-eater contain his wife, to "chauffeuring" Cinderella around, to terrifying Ichabod Crane in the in "The Legend of Sleepy Hallow"

Pumpkin seeds are a nutritional powerhouse containing 30% unsaturated fixed oil (which includes linoleic and oleic fatty acids) amino acids (especially cucurbitacins), vitamins B,C & E, beta-carotene and other carotenoids, and minerals, notably zinc, potassium, and magnesium. Pumpkin is low in calories and a terrific source of fiber. Most people aren't aware of the fiber content of canned pumpkin because it seems so creamy. Just one half-cup serving provides 5 grams of fiber-more than you're getting from most cereals.

In addition pumpkin, like all plants rich in carotenoids, may have the ability to help to decrease the risk of various cancers, including those of the lung, colon, bladder, cervical, breast, and skin. Carotenoids are concentrated in a wide variety of tissues, where they help protect us from free radicals, modulate our immune response, enhance cell-to-cell communication, and possibly stimulate production of naturally occurring detoxification enzymes. Carotenoids also play a major role in protecting the skin and eyes from the damaging effects of ultraviolet light.

It is believed that the amino acid cucurbitin, is the active principle responsible for the anthelmintic (agents which paralyze and expels intestinal worms) effects of this plant. While unsaturated fatty acids found in the seeds are an efficient diuretic, and are thought to be beneficial in the treatment of prostate problems. The phytosterol cucurbitacins in the seeds also, appears to inhibit the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotesterone. The presence of zinc and amino acids further treat prostate problems. Pumpkins seeds are used for prostate problems, and have a reputation for being an aphrodisiac so have been used for loss of libido.

So therapeutically you can use the seeds as a diuretic to sooth and tone the urinary tract, ease gout and relieve postpartum swelling of the hands and feet. The seeds are also used ground for round & tape worms, as well as other parasites. They are particularly useful against tapeworms in pregnant women and in children, for whom stronger-acting and toxic preparations are unsuitable. Pumpkin seeds and husks are also used to aid milk production in lactating mothers . The seeds have also been used to treat acne, where you simply eat pumpkin seeds daily for the zinc and carotenoids, and this can help to eliminate this condition.

Internally the high fiber content of pumpkin makes it a good bowel tonic and gentle bulking laxative. Applied to the skin, cold mashed pumpkin or winter squash soothes mild burns, sunburns, headaches, and neuralgia. The crushed leaves have been used as a poultice for sprains and bruises

Laboratory studies have found that an extract from pumpkin rinds had antifungal properties treating fungal infections include monilia ("yeast") infections, athletes foot, and ringworm. The extract was applied directly to the fungal cell surfaces; therefore, pumpkin extract would be applied topically.

Studies have also suggested that pumpkin seeds can prevent the development and or progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and can act to lower cholesterol levels. As well research tests suggested that pumpkin seeds can promote the production of insulin, which controls blood sugar levels. Other studies have found that pumpkin seeds appear to have a hepatoprotective (liver-protective) effect; therefor, they may be a beneficial addition to the diet for those with liver disease.

Pumpkin seeds contain a high level of tryptophan (22mg/gram of pumpkin seed protein), the amino acid precursor to serotonin - which is itself converted to melatonin, the "sleep hormone," in the evening. Research published in 2007 in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology found that pumpkin seed was taken in combination with a carbohydrate, a clinical effect similar to that of pharmaceutical-grade tryptophan was achieved.
So with all that pumpkin can do - maybe Linus wasn't crazy for sitting in the pumpkin patch hoping to meet the Great Pumpkin afterall!

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With Fall here and the pumpkins almost ready, we thought we would share some fun and informative things about the often over looked pumpkin. Rich in folklore and medicinal uses, pumpkin is more than a symbol of autumn.

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Maylee

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Jack Hat... Loves Veggies

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I've celebrated the goodness of dairy fat quite enthusiastically in recent weeks. If you were just joining us, you might have gotten the wrong impression that you'd stumbled into a PR wing of the dairy industry, and that the streets of Mark's Dairy Apple run whitish-yellow with grass-fed milk fat. No, children aren't busting open fire hydrants on warm days to dance around in the effervescent spray of kefir, and on winter days it doesn't rain milk and snow globs of thick Greek yogurt in these parts.

I'm well aware of the darker side to dairy, and today I'll be exploring the common arguments against dairy consumption. Let's jump right in:

Grok didn't drink milk.

True, but the evolutionary argument cannot prove the suitability or unsuitability of a food - it can only generate hypotheses that we can then test or research. The same goes for grain consumption, nighttime artificial light exposure, sedentary living, or any other evolutionary novel activity. It has to be tested.

Takeaway? The relative newness of dairy in the human diet definitely raises concerns about its healthfulness, but it's not a resounding argument in and of itself.

We're the only species that drinks the milk of other mammals.

It does seem a bit weird. That's mankind, though: we do weird things that no other animal could ever conceive of doing. That's what makes us the top of the food chain. We're smart and dominant enough to impose our will on nature. It gets us into trouble - see industrial agriculture and artificial trans-fats - but it also improves our station - see the decision of hominids three million years ago to "see how this dead herbivore flesh tastes." Like the previous argument, this one can only raise hypotheses.

Takeaway? Our species' departure from, or modification of mammalian norms isn't always bad. Or good. The specifics matter.

Dairy raises insulin.

It's true, it does. Both the lactose and dairy proteins exert an insulinogenic effect that when taken in concert rival that of many carbohydrate sources. I actually covered this topic in a post several years ago and found that acute dairy-induced spikes of insulin don't seem to be related to body fat gain or insulin resistance in healthy people, and that the studies showing a connection between dairy and insulin resistance used skim or low-fat milk, rather than whole. And in athletes trying to recover from training, these insulin spikes may actually promote recovery. Hyperinsulinemia, where insulin is chronically elevated, is another story. If you're already insulin-resistant, dairy could be problematic.

Takeaway? Dairy's insulinogenic effect is good for some groups (lean, insulin-sensitive, athletes or trainees looking for muscle recovery), bad for others (insulin-resistant). Context is important.

The betacellulin in dairy can increase cancer.

Betacellulin is a growth factor found in whey that plays an important role in infant growth. In some in vitro studies, isolated betacellulin has been shown to contribute toward the growth of cancer cells. Chris Masterjohn takes apart this argument fairly well, explaining how similar in vitro studies that incorporate conjugated linoleic acid (a trans-fatty acid especially abundant in pastured dairy fat) show that CLA has an inhibitory effect on the promotion of cancer by betacellulin; how most epidemiological studies show no relationship between commercial milk and cancer; how some only support a relationship between low-fat dairy and ovarian and prostate cancer, but not high-fat dairy; and how whole fat milk is actually associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

Takeaway? If betacellulin has cancer-promoting tendencies, it's probably only when isolated from protective dairy compounds such as CLA and saturated fat. Stick to full-fat, pastured dairy.

Dairy is a general growth promoter and can increase cancer.

Loren Cordain and Pedro Bastos (with a couple other collaborators) released a very interesting paper in which they suggest that rather than being just food, milk is an "endocrine signaling system" whose various components - particularly the proteins - are meant to stimulate hormonally-driven growth in a "species-specific" manner. So human breast milk is perfect for how human babies are supposed to grow and tissue differentiate, cow milk is ideal for calf growth, goat milk for kid growth, and so on. Milk proteins stimulate growth by activating the mTOR pathway and stimulating IGF-1 release. Cordain and Bastos link dairy-induced mTOR activation and IGF-1 release with prostate cancer, citing in vitro and epidemiological evidence that milk consumption during certain developmental phases (prenatal, immediately postnatal, and adolescence) can predispose developing prostates to cancer later in life.

More generally, IGF-1 is a growth promoter which is elevated in childhood - because that's when people are growing at a fairly steady rate - and in certain types of cancer - because that's another kind of growth, only unwanted. Since dairy protein consumption is pretty consistently linked to increased IGF-1, it's easy to assume that dairy can increase cancer risk. Good for growing bodies, bad for growing cancer cells.

So, people with cancer or at risk of cancer should avoid dairy, right? I'm not sure. This study found that a whey protein supplement actually increased the vulnerability of cancer cells to chemotherapy among patients with carcinoma. Another study identified several potential roles for milk proteins in cancer prevention. And there's the classic tale of Campbell's rats, where high-casein diets were protective against the development of aflatoxin-induced cancer but increased cancer progression once initiated.

Plus, the mTOR pathway is also where muscle growth happens, which may be why GOMAD (gallon of milk a day) is a popular tactic for strength trainees.

Takeaway? Dairy is a growth promoter, which can be good (muscle) or potentially bad (cancer, particularly prostate when consumed at certain developmental stages). It's unclear if dairy actually promotes tumorigenesis or promotes growth only once the cancer has been established - or neither.

Dairy increases intestinal permeability, thus allowing proteins and other bioactive compounds entrance into the bloodstream. This can precipitate or exacerbate autoimmune diseases.

For years, I've heard that "dairy is designed to increase intestinal permeability." After all, infants need a bit of a leaky gut to allow absorption of large things like colostrum. It would make sense for milk to increase permeability so this could happen. But it turns out that infant guts are innately permeable, not permeable because of dairy. If anything, it looks like dairy might actually make guts less permeable. I didn't find any human research to this effect, but I did find some interesting studies with surprising results:

Hydrolyzed casein restored intestinal barrier function and prevented diabetes in a diabetes-prone rat. A later study confirmed these results. A specific casein peptide was also shown to reduce intestinal permeability in another study, and beta-lactoglobulin (another protein component of dairy) had similar effects on intestinal tight junction function. And finally, a component of whey has also been shown to reinforce tight junction integrity.

Yeah, I was surprised too.

That doesn't mean there aren't connections, even causal, between dairy consumption and autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes, but the presence of leaky gut may be a prerequisite. This would jibe with the observations that people with type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases sometimes linked to dairy intake have higher intestinal permeability.

Takeaway? Although these were either rodent or in vitro studies using isolated components of dairy, it seems like the evidence points toward dairy upholding intestinal integrity, if anything. Given existing permeability, dairy proteins can slip through and obviously cause problems, but I'm unaware of evidence showing they increase leaky gut or autoimmune disease on their own absent intestinal permeability.

Dairy has a high acid load, which can lead to bone calcium loss.

I've always been skeptical of this one because using the same criteria, meat also has a high acid load on the body. Should we forgo eating meat, which has been shown to improve bone mineral density? Plus, one recent study found that dairy doesn't actually make the body acidic. Milk and dairy products "neither produce acid upon metabolism nor cause metabolic acidosis." Further, dairy is a good source of calcium and - particularly in the case of gouda cheese - vitamin K2, both important co-factors in bone metabolism.

Takeaway? Dairy consumption may not ensure or be necessary for good bone health, but it doesn't seem to negatively impact it.

Dairy contains ample amounts of bioactive hormones which can have negative health effects.

Since a common practice nowadays is the milking of pregnant cows in order to maximize production and estrogen goes up during pregnancy, it seems reasonable to expect elevated levels of estrogen in dairy. Most studies I came across found that some estrogen is present in dairy, with skim milk containing the most bioavailable form of estrogen (conjugated estrogen, the same kind used in oral hormone replacement therapy). For the most part, the amount of active estrogen found in dairy seems too low for physiological relevance. We have too much already in circulation for it to be impacted by dietary sources, some of which will be nullified by digestion.

Dairy proteins can certainly increase IGF-1 (as shown previously) in people, but it's unclear whether the actual IGF-1 found in dairy has an effect on serum levels. If you're worried about IGF-1, fermentation takes care of most of it. Stick to fermented dairy like yogurt, kefir, or cheese (which already has health benefits over regular unfermented dairy).

Takeaway? Hormone levels in dairy vary according to production method, pregnancy status of the animal being milked, and chance. For the most part, the amount of hormones in dairy pales in comparison to the endogenous amounts circulating in our bodies at any given time, so even if we had the leakiest gut in the world and everything we ate was absorbed directly into our blood, it would likely have minimal impact on our hormone levels.

Dairy causes acne.

Among food-sensitive acne sufferers, dairy is probably the most commonly reported offender. Indeed, recent studies suggest a connection between skim milk consumption and acne in teenage boys (less so for whole milk) and in girls. Researcher Bodo Melnik points the finger at the mTOR/IGF-1 activating qualities of dairy (and the Western diet at large) as the culprit. It's a compelling line of argument.

However, one recent study found that fermented dairy enhanced with lactoferrin reduced the incidence of acne, suggesting that dairy isn't always antithetical to skin health. Raw dairy might work better than pasteurized dairy, since pasteurization destroys the natural lactoferrin content of milk.

Takeaway? Dairy is a common aggravator of acne and is worth removing or avoiding if you have it.

That bovine serum albumin in dairy resembles human collagen type 1 and can increase rheumatoid arthritis through molecular mimicry.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients do seem to produce antibodies to bovine serum albumin, and one case study found that an RA patient achieved relief with cessation of milk consumption and saw symptoms return with resumption. Still, another more recent paper found that BSA antibodies weren't associated with disease progression or activity (flare-ups) in rheumatoid arthritis, so it's still theoretical. I would imagine that the problem (if extant) is exacerbated by the presence of leaky gut.

Takeaway? Seems worrisome enough that people with RA might try avoiding dairy, at least as a trial to see how it affects their symptoms. One confounder is that bovine serum albumin is also found in beef muscle meat. RA patients who are reading this: do you notice problems with beef?

Overall, it appears that dairy has both benefits and risks, and that where you fall depends on several factors, like gut health, insulin sensitivity, activity level, age, as well as the quality and form of the dairy (which though I didn't really get into are implicit when discussing dairy). In other words, it's extremely variable and personal.
What do you think, folks? Any other anti-dairy arguments out there? Let me know in the comment section!
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10 Common Arguments Against Dairy Consumption Explored | Mark's Daily Apple

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I've celebrated the goodness of dairy fat quite enthusiastically in recent weeks. If you were just joining us, you might have gotten the wrong impression that you'd stumbled into a PR wing of the dairy industry, and that the streets of Mark's Dairy Apple run whitish-yellow with grass-fed milk fat.

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Hot chocolate