Whole foods and foods high in fiber aren’t the same thing, according to Laura González, head of Nutrition and Health at Nestlé, who spoke at “El Bisturí”. Furthermore, she revealed what the recommended daily doses of these types of foods are.
Whole grains
Whole grains are those such as wheat, rice or corn, that are left with the outer layer of the grain which contains bran and germ, high in polyunsaturated oils, fiber, group D vitamins and minerals such as selenium or zinc; however, bread and pasta are commonly referred to as whole foods.
As a rule of thumb, “germ is usually removed when making flour because it’s rich in saturated oils that get rancid or oxidized quite easily, which increases the risk that the flour acquire strange flavors or spoil,” Laura González explained.
Some types of bread are made from various types of flour, including rye flour –a darker type of flour–, which makes them look as whole grain bread although they don’t have any type of whole flour.
“The same can happen with those types of bread that contain seeds; they might be high in fiber, although the flour used to make them isn’t necessarily whole even when they’re made with wheat flour or flour from other types of cereals,” González added.
Difference between high fiber foods and whole foods
“High fiber foods are made from refined, branless or germless flour,” González pointed out.
However, “the employment of the term whole isn’t regulated, so we can find certain types of bread that are supposed to have whole cereals, or whose main component isn’t whole flour but sources high in fiber, and that when adding the fiber content of their ingredients result in 3 grams per every 100 grams, which represents 6% for the authorized denomination high in fiber,” González clarified.
How to tell them apart?
“The first thing to do is checking that in the list of ingredients the first food is whole flour or semolina, and not get carried away by the term high in fiber,” Laura González said.
However, foods high in fiber shouldn’t be given up since they’re beneficial and necessary for health, but special attention must be paid to the nutritional profile of these foods.
“It’s necessary to be informed, because some processed foods refer to the term high in fiber or whole grain, but due to the saturated fats or sugars they contain their regular consumption isn’t advisable,” González added.
An example of this is croissants or whole grain crackers, which despite being made with whole-wheat flour have a high content of saturated fats. These products shouldn’t be taken into count to cover the recommendations of high-fiber foods.
What is the recommended number of servings?
It’s advisable to have between four and six servings of foods high in carbohydrates being at least half of them whole grain foods.
Whole grains have a higher concentration of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Actually, the benefits of fiber derive from the combined effects of its fermentation in the large intestine and the substances generated during this process, in addition to other physical properties related to water absorption or substance retention.
For example, two or three servings of whole grain bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner, cover half of the recommended daily cereal servings.
Some of the advantages of increasing fiber consumption according to the advised amount are, for example “an increased sensation of satiety and a reduced likeliness of contact with toxic or potentially toxic substances, which enter the bloodstream, and the ability to regulate the gut flora”; which give fiber a leading role in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases.
Link: https://www.efesalud.com/alimentos-integrales-ricos-fibra/
Date: February 20th, 2020
By: Elena Reinés
Source: Laura González, Nutritionist
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