QUESTION: I'm seeking information about fiber. During the time I was eating the MRE meals distributed after Hurricane Katrina, the difference in my bowel movements was dramatic. I began having a high-volume movement every morning like clockwork, which I considered a favorable change. A friend said there were 12 grams of fiber in each MRE.
My usual diet for years has included a daily bowl of plain bran flakes to maximize my colon health and help lower cholesterol. The bran flakes contain 5 grams of fiber (4 grams of insoluble fiber and 1 gram of soluble fiber) per three-fourths cup of cereal.
Was the extra fiber the cause of the bowel improvement? And what is the significance of soluble versus insoluble fiber?
ANSWER: In the surreal aftermath of Katrina, military-supplied MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) were jokingly referred to as “Meals Rejected by Everyone” and other imaginative aliases. Humor helps during rough times.
Consuming an MRE while blindfoldedwould never be mistaken for dining at the Ritz, but these basic nutrition packets were mighty welcome commodities at the time.
Fiber promotes bowel movements by adding non-digestible bulk to the diet. A general recommendation is to get 10 to 25 grams of dietary fiber daily.Though the MRE had more fiber than the cereal you mention, that doesn't necessarily mean you were getting more fiber than before. Your pre-Katrina diet also would have provided fiber from the other foods you ate.
The only way to know would be to tally the amount of total daily fiber from your MRE meals and compare that to the amount provided by your customary diet.
MREs appear to be more typically associated with constipation rather than the effect you describe.
This suggests there may be post-Katrina variables other than fiber consumption that might have influenced the change in your bowel function. For instance, increasing your fluid intake or level of physical activity (e.g., debris cleanup) would tend to stimulate bowel movements.
As to the significance of soluble or insoluble fiber, both would improve bowel function, and most plant-derived foods contain both types. Beyond that, soluble fiber can reduce blood cholesterol and may help lower or stabilize blood-sugar levels. Soluble fiber is found in oat bran, oatmeal, rice bran, peas, beans, citrus fruits, strawberries, apple pulp, barley, psyllium, guar gum and pectin.
Insoluble fiber is found in grains and grain products as well as fruits and vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, beets, Brussels sprout, turnips, cauliflower, and apple skin.
“Whole” grains are often recommended in place of refined grains such as processed white bread and cereal.
Whole-grain refers to the entire seed of the plant and includes the germ, endosperm, and bran. Whole grains include oat groats, oatmeal, cracked wheat, millet, whole-grain rye, brown and wild rice and popcorn.
Richard Harkness is a consultant pharmacist, natural medicines specialist and author of published books. Write to him at 1224 King Henry Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564; or
rharkn@aol.com.
