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The Non-Nutrients. Fiber & Water. Dietary fiber. is not a nutrient necessary to regulate digestion appears to prevent some epidemiological diseases. . DEFINITIONS:.
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The Non-Nutrients Fiber & Water
Dietary fiber • is not a nutrient • necessary to regulate digestion • appears to prevent some epidemiological diseases.
DEFINITIONS: • WATER: a compound composed of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. Water is the most important of all the essential nutrients, since human life cannot be sustained without water. • FIBER: A loose term denoting the substances in plant food that are not digested by human digestive enzymes. It provides almost no calories. • CRUDE FIBER: The residue of plant food remaining after extraction with acid and alkali. • DIETARY FIBER: The residue of plant food resistant to hydrolysis by human digestive enzymes. (l gm crude fiber = 2-4 gm dietary fiber.)
What is Fiber? • many plants that we eat for food contain cellulose • which is not broken down, digested and used by our body • It is tough and stringy • essential for regulating the body. • It helps to move food through the body and aids digestion by • (1) attracting water to the small and large intestines • (2) the water increases bulk in foods • keeps the mass of fiber, food particles, digestive juices soft and moving though the system.
Why eat Fiber? • protective agent for certain diseases • colon cancer, • Diverticulosis--weakened areas of the intestinal wall (like blow-outs in a car tire • coronary heart disease
How Much fiber? • There is no recommended Dietary Allowance for fiber • 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber per day. • Americans are currently consuming much less than the recommendation.
SOURCES: • Fiber is found only in foods of plant origin. • fruits, • vegetables, • nuts, • Peas • legumes. • grains.
Grain Kernels • The wheat kernel has three main parts: • The germ • reproduces when planted, • contains concentrated food to maintain new life. • vitamins and minerals, fat, iron, and protein. • The bran • protective coating • is rich in nutrients and fiber. • The endosperm • soft inside part of the kernel • contains starch and proteins. • the flour has the ability to form a stretchy protein called gluten. • Gluten allows a lacy network of air bubbles to be baked in, making bread light and soft.
The Enrichment Act of 1942 • standardized the return of lost nutrients to commercial flour. • iron, thiamin, and niacin have been restored to the levels found in whole wheat. • However, this restoration did not restore the fiber. • Whole grain contains fiber.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER: • 8 glasses of water daily • more if participating in sports or exercising. • Water is the most critical nutrient for sustaining life. • Two-thirds of the human body is water.
Water and minerals need proper balance. • When the sodium ions in the blood are increased, • water in the cells is drawn from the cells into the blood plasma. • If an excess of sodium, so much water is drawn into the blood plasma that high blood pressure can develop and put a dangerous strain on the heart and vascular system.
Water is needed in the body for many reasons: • Water is used to move nutrients through the digestive tract. • Water is needed to remove waste products. • Water acts as a diluter. • Fiber absorbs water thus allowing waste products to move freely through the digestive tract, and thus preventing toxic waste from accumulating. • Water is a heat regulator. It helps the body temperature to stay the same. • Water is a solvent necessary in the production of and maintaining body cells. • Water helps coat and lubricate body joints.