When it comes to healthy eating, we generally think of protein, vitamins, minerals, fats, and carbohydrates.
However, there is one element that often takes a back seat, despite having a very important role for our body: Dietary fiber.
Fiber is not a nutrient that our body uses as an energy source in the same way it uses carbohydrates, fats or proteins. Yet it performs fundamental functions, especially at the intestinal level.
And that brings us to a simple question: how important is fiber to our gut?
What Is Fibre
Dietary fibres are components mainly present in foods of plant origin that are not fully digested in the small intestine.
We find them naturally in:
Not all fibers are the same.
Some are more INSTANT, others predominantly insoluble. Some are fermented by intestinal bacteria, while others mainly contribute to increasing the mass of intestinal contents.
This variety is important because fibers can perform different functions within the digestive system.
WHY DOES THE INSTINCT NEED FIBRE?
One of the most well-known functions of fibers concerns the bowel regularity.
Fiber can increase stool mass and help maintain normal bowel function.
EFSA indicates 25 grams of fiber per day as an adequate amount for normal bowel function in adults.
The problem is that many people do not reach this amount through their daily diet.
The reason is quite simple: we often consume refined foods and industrial products and, in some cases, we eat fewer vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains than would be appropriate.
For this reason, fiber should be considered a regular component of the diet and not something to be used only when a bowel problem appears.
FIBRES AND MICROBIOTA: A VERY IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP
Our gut is home to billions of microorganisms that make up the microbiota intestinale.
Some fibers are not digested by the body and reach the colon, where they can be used by intestinal microorganisms through fermentation processes.
This is one of the reasons why research today devotes so much attention to the relationship between nutrition, fibre and the microbiota.
So we shouldn't just think of fiber as something that “helps you go to the bathroom.”
His role is much more articulated.
The ability of the fibres to retain water, their viscosity and their fermentability are some of the characteristics that determine their behaviour within the digestive system.
WHERE DO THE FIBERS COME FROM?
The best source is always the power supply.
Fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains should be regularly present in our diet.
But in everyday life it can happen that you cannot reach the amount of fiber you need.
And it is precisely in this context that it may make sense to use a food supplement.
Not to replace a good diet, but to supplementing what we are unable to take in sufficiently through our diet.
FOREVER FIBER FUSION: A FORMULA OF DIFFERENT FIBERS
Forever Living It has developed Forever Fiber Fusion, now in the Italian catalogue as a food supplement, article 702.
The concept behind the product is interesting: do not use a single fibre source, but a combination of different fibres.
The formula includes different types of fibres, including soluble fiber from corn, psyllium, apple fiber, citrus fiber, acacia gum, guar gum, and locust bean seed flour, as well as other components of the formulation.
This combination makes it possible to obtain a product designed to make the daily intake of fibre easier.
Forever itself presents Fiber Fusion as a novelty designed to make fiber intake more pleasant.
WHY USE MULTIPLE FIBER SOURCES?
Because, as we've seen, not all fibres perform exactly the same function.
Psyllium, for example, is a fiber capable of absorbing water and increasing the volume of intestinal contents.
Apple fibre and fibre from citrus fruits are fibres of plant origin.
Acacia gum and other soluble fibers instead belong to a category that can be fermented by the gut microbial community.
The combination of different sources therefore makes it possible to have a more articulated formula than the use of a single fibre.
FIBER IS NOT A “BOWEL CLEANSE”
On this subject it is important to clarify.
In common parlance we often hear about “cleansing the intestine”, “eliminating toxins” or “purifying”.
From a physiological point of view it is more correct to talk about intestinal regularity and normal functioning of the digestive system.
Our body already has specific systems to metabolize and eliminate waste substances.
The fibre should therefore not be presented as a sort of internal detergent.
His role is much more concrete: contribute to normal intestinal function and provide substrates that can be used by the microbiota.
FIBRE AND WATER: TWO ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER TOGETHER
Then there is an aspect that is often forgotten.
When we increase our fibre intake, we also need to pay attention to our fluid intake.
Many fibers interact with water and some significantly increase their volume.
For this reason, proper hydration is an important component of a balanced diet.
It wouldn't make much sense to focus on the fibers and completely forget about the water.
A SUPPLEMENT DOES NOT REPLACE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
This is perhaps the most important concept of the entire article.
Forever Fiber Fusion should not be considered a substitute for a diet rich in plant foods.
The fibre should come mainly from a varied and balanced diet.
The supplement can become a practical tool when the food intake is not enough or when you want to supplement your diet in a simple way.
The difference is important.
It's not a matter of choosing between power and supplement.
It is a question of using the supplement if necessary within a correct lifestyle.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR GUT MEANS TAKING CARE OF YOUR HABITS
The intestine does not live in isolation from the rest of the body.
Nutrition, hydration, physical activity, sleep quality and lifestyle all contribute to our benessere.
Fibres are therefore an important piece, but not the only one.
The first step is not to look for the perfect product.
It is to look sincerely at what we eat every day.
How many vegetables do we consume?
How many legumes?
How much fruit?
How often do we choose whole grains?
And best of all: does our diet really allow us to achieve an adequate intake of fibre?
If the answer is no, then we can start right here.
This question is important as it addresses a fundamental concept in Islamic theology, the salute bowel movement should not be a fad or a last-minute solution.
It should be a normal part of our daily lives.
And fibres, although often forgotten, play a much more important role than we are used to thinking.