Do you know dietary fiber? As an important part of a healthy diet, it has been attracting many people's attention, but for the elderly, although dietary fiber is good, can you really eat more?
Uncle Du is almost 70 years old this year, and he can be regarded as a "long-lived old man" around him, and his usual eating habits are very good, paying special attention to the intake of dietary fiber, and always telling his neighbors about his health regimen, but in recent months, Uncle Du has encountered a problem - constipation.
Sometimes he often feels discomfort in his abdomen, has difficulty in defecation, and even needs the help of medicine to solve the problem, Uncle Du's family took him to the hospital, and after detailed questioning and examination by the doctor, it was found that the problem may be that he pursues a high-fiber diet too much.
It turned out that Uncle Du heard that dietary fiber is good for the body, so he began to consume a large number of high-fiber foods, such as whole wheat bread, oats, beans, etc., however, his gastrointestinal function has gradually declined, and he cannot bear such a large amount of dietary fiber intake, which leads to constipation.
But when the family asked Uncle Du, he said: "The Lancet has been studied, eat more dietary fiber to prolong life, why does it not work on me?" ”
In fact, Uncle Du said that this study is indeed based on science, the Lancet did publish a study pointing out that the intake of sufficient dietary fiber can significantly reduce the risk of death and prolong our lifespan.
People who consume 25-29 grams of dietary fiber per day have about 20% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to those who consume less than 15 grams.
Dietary fiber, in fact, is an indispensable part of our daily diet, it is mainly found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes and other foods, for the elderly, dietary fiber can increase the volume of food in the intestines, stimulate intestinal peristalsis, thereby helping to prevent constipation.
At the same time, it can also combine with cholesterol to reduce cholesterol absorption and reduce blood cholesterol levels, so why is Uncle Du not only not having smooth bowel movements, but constipation?
In fact, everything is done in moderation, the gastrointestinal function of the elderly gradually declines, the digestion and absorption of dietary fiber is weakened, if you consume too much high-fiber food, this may increase the burden on the stomach, resulting in bloating, abdominal pain and other uncomfortable symptoms, and some will also appear constipation.
And some older people who already have intestinal diseases or strictures may also have a worse condition if they consume too much dietary fiber.
Therefore, the study of the "Lancet" does have a scientific basis, dietary fiber is very important to our body, but when we usually eat, we still need to pay attention to the appropriate intake, for the elderly, the amount of dietary fiber intake can be determined according to individual circumstances.
Generally speaking, the daily intake of 20-35 grams of dietary fiber is a more appropriate range, if the elderly have gastrointestinal diseases or indigestion and other problems, it is recommended to appropriately reduce the intake of dietary fiber, and try to choose easy to digest and absorb dietary fiber sources, such as ripe vegetables, fruit puree, etc., to avoid increasing the burden on the stomach.
All in all, some elderly people in the pursuit of a high-fiber diet, ignoring the intake of other nutrients, this practice is also not advisable, although dietary fiber is important, but the human body needs a variety of nutrients, the elderly in the intake of dietary fiber at the same time, can also pay attention to the intake of other nutrients. #头条首发大赛#
Bibliography:
[1] "Studies have shown that high dietary fiber intake can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases." Chin J Biomedical Eng 25.1(2019):1.
[2] Zhao Aiai, and Zhang Xiuping. "The Role of Dietary Fiber in Human Health." Seeking Medical Advice (Academic Edition) 10.003(2012):180.