What Fiber Does For Our Body in Exercise
There are many key nutrients that not only support our physical health but also influence our actions and mood. During high-intensity workouts, or any physical activity for that matter, it is important to be aware of what these foods do to our body and mind as they can significantly affect our overall performance. Fiber is a key nutrient that our body needs in order to digest things properly. It is important to understand all of the health benefits of fiber and its key properties.
Fiber Types and Benefits:
Soluble fiber: This type of fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance during digestion, which slows down the digestive process. Soluble fiber is found in numerous foods such as barley, beans, lentils, oat brans, and peas
Insoluble fiber: Unlike soluble fiber, insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and does not get absorbed into your bloodstream. Instead, it helps food move more quickly through the stomach and small intestines. Insoluble fiber is commonly found in wheat bran, whole grains, and various vegetables.
Foods that are high in fiber can help keep your digestive system operating smoothly. Specifically, dietary fiber can help improve digestive regularity. A high-fiber diet can also lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels.
Fiber with Fitness:
Since fiber is a carbohydrate, and carbs help fuel our body, eating high-fiber foods can enhance your overall ability to work out. Including these foods in your diet can make it easier to stick to a healthy eating plan that can complement your specific exercise routine. Fiber also helps to add some bulk and variety to our diet. Additionally, having an adequate amount of fiber in our daily diet helps to prevent constipation.
Foods that are a good source of fiber:
Oatmeal
Fruits
Oat bran
Avocado
Lentils
Brussel sprouts
Almonds
Broccoli
Apples
Chia seeds
Whole wheat pasta
Raspberries
Corn
Beans
Legumes
Barley
Popcorn
Endurance training with fiber:
Endurance training can generally shift fiber toward a more oxidative phenotype. This is particularly evident from an overall training standpoint, that is considering the increased consumption of oxygen during endurance exercises. The rate of fiber type shifting appears to be less pronounced as endurance athletes progress deeper into event-specific preparation and if they begin an endurance training intervention with a higher abundance of type 1 fibers(slow twitch muscle fibers that have relatively higher endurance than fast twitch fibers). In a study with Luden et Tal, he found out that type 1 fibers were apparent with higher volume endurance training and affected them directly after their post-training regime.
Conclusion:
Being aware of everything that you’re putting into your body can significantly affect your overall mood, health, and workout performance. When considering changes to your diet, focus on adding and supplementing nutritious options rather than just removing what you perceive as "bad" foods.
Sources:
Understanding the Health Benefits of Fiber | Planet Fitness, www.planetfitness.com/community/articles/understanding-health-benefits-fiber. Accessed 4 Mar. 2024.
“How Much Fiber Is Found in Common Foods?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 23 Nov. 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/high-fiber-foods/art-20050948.
“The Ultimate High-Fiber Grocery List.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/features/fiber-groceries. Accessed 4 Mar. 2024.
Novella Lui, RD. “The 9 Best High-Fiber Vegetables You Should Be Eating, According to a Dietitian.” EatingWell, EatingWell, 9 May 2023, www.eatingwell.com/article/8044305/best-high-fiber-vegetables/.
“31 High-Fiber Foods You Should Be Eating.” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 4 Dec. 2023, health.clevelandclinic.org/high-fiber-foods.
Understanding the Health Benefits of Fiber | Planet Fitness, www.planetfitness.com/community/articles/understanding-health-benefits-fiber. Accessed 4 Mar. 2024.