The Fiber Controversy

The Fiber Controversy: Are Plants Killing Us?

Are you confused about the role of fiber in our diets? Do you wonder if plants are trying to kill us? Let’s dive into the controversial topic of fiber and its impact on our health. We’ll explore the arguments from both sides and help you understand the importance of finding what is right for you. So, let’s unravel the fiber debate and shed some light on this topic.

What is Fiber?

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that passes through our bodies, serving two primary functions. It can either turn into a gel-like substance that feeds our gut microbiome or act as a broom, bulking up our stool. Soluble fiber dissolves in water, forming a gel that slows down digestion and helps us feel fuller for longer. On the other hand, insoluble fiber remains intact and sweeps through our digestive tract, aiding in waste elimination. Both types of fiber play crucial roles in maintaining a healthy gut and a healthy you.

The Two Camps: Team Fiber vs. Team No Fiber

So now that we know there are 2 kinds of fiber and what they do inside the body, where does this controversy come in? Well, there are proponents of very high fiber diets all the way to those saying you don’t need fiber at all, and that plant matter is trying to kill you with anti-nutrients and lectins.

Most plant-based proponents tout all the benefits of fiber and insist you cannot be healthy without large amounts of fiber. Some of this stems from Dr. Kellogg and his beliefs in the late 19th century. Without going into in-depth detail, he believed bland fibrous food would prevent sexual desires and followed a plant-based diet in accordance with his Seventh-Day Adventist faith.

Then we have we don’t need fiber camp.  The belief is that our ancestors did not eat a diet that had high amounts of fiber and that it might even be harmful to consume large amounts of fiber.  With the thoughts that our digestive tract is not made to handle lots of plant matter or digest lots of fiber especially since most just passes through the digestive system.

Both camps are full of anecdotal stories and both camps aren’t necessarily wrong and aren’t necessarily right.  Now you’re all going HUH?

While some thrive with a decent amount of fiber in their diet others feel utterly sick and near death with any plant matter in their diet.  And then there are many of us that do great finding our personal threshold(more on that in a bit).

For those that thrive, they do well, because of happy healthy gut bacteria, and a strong digestive system that processes the plant matter efficiently.  Just because studies show the importance of fiber for a healthy gut and that’s honestly where all the other health benefits are coming from, doesn’t mean that if you have some kind of dysbiosis adding in fiber is the cure, it actually can be poison.  So let’s dive into why for some, plant matter causes more harm than good.

Understanding Antinutrients and Their Impact

Have you heard the term antinutrient? Do you wonder what it might be and if it’s the source of your digestive distress? These antinutrients are found in plant matter.  They are what protect the plant from predators like insects and animals so the plant can grow and thrive.  The antinutrients can interfere with the absorption and/or utilization of the nutrients in the plants.  That’s why you often hear the term bioavailable in the nutrition spaces.  In the human body, antinutrients can cause issues by

• Binding to certain minerals which affects the ability to absorb them
• Interfering with digestive enzymes, causing the poor breakdown of foods which again leads to poor absorption
• Disrupting the gut barrier function by damaging the gut lining

These are the most common anti-nutrients

• Phytic acid can bind to minerals.  Its found mostly in whole grains, nuts, and legumes
• Tannins can inhibit the absorption of iron and is found in tea, coffee, some nut, some fruits, and some vegetables
• Oxalates which can bind to calcium forming crystals that lead to kidney stones. It is found in certain nuts, spinach, rhubarb, and a few other leafy greens
• Lectins can affect the absorption of nutrients, nd can be found in nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and grains.

If you notice the word “can” in each of the explanations of antinutrients  Just because they can cause something in some people does not mean they will cause problems in everyone.  

These are some of the reasons why some react to anti-nutrients more than others.

• Genetics will play a role as to how we digest and absorb nutrients.  Certain variations can make it harder to break down antinutrients.
• Your gut health and gut diversity will play a role in how well you can break down and tolerate antinutrients. An imbalanced gut will increase the risk of reacting poorly to anti-nutrients.
• How the plant matter is prepared has a great impact on if you will tolerate antinutrients. Soaking, sprouting, fermenting and cooking will all alter how the body tolerates antinutrients.  
• Quantity has a HUGE impact on tolerance.  The more you eat the harder it will be for the body to process the antinutrients and increases the risk of a negative impact.
• Your health.  Autoimmune conditions, IBS, and low stomach acid will all increase the risk of reaction.

I know I spent a lot of time talking about the issues with plant matter, but to understand why for some, fiber doesn’t work we need to understand antinutrients.  It’s not the fiber that’s the problem, it’s the antinutrients and how the individual reacts to them.  

Think of antinutrients as an eustress.  They can put a slight stressor on the body, but also include beneficial components to help the body thrive!  Both phytic acid and tannins have antioxidant properties and lectins have antimicrobial properties. 

Try ways to increase your plant tolerance if you desire

• Learning to properly prepare things so you get the most from the foods.
• Consume a variety of foods this will help prevent overdoing any one antinutrient
• Improving your gut health 
• Improving your digestion, especially your stomach acid 
• Digestive enzymes to help break foods down especially if you have low stomach acid

Finding Your Balance and Improving Gut Health

Instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, it’s crucial to find the right balance of fiber and plant-based foods that work for you. Experiment with various preparation methods like cooking, soaking, sprouting, or fermenting to mitigate the effects of antinutrients. Diversify your plant matter intake to avoid excessive exposure to specific antinutrients. Focus on improving your gut health and digestion through strategies such as consuming fermented foods, probiotics, and adopting an elimination diet to identify any intolerances.

To sum it all up:

Fiber can be incredibly beneficial if it’s tolerated. While you do not need fiber to survive, for some their gut microbiome needs it for them to thrive.  Those who live without plant matter at all, do have a drastic change in their gut microbiome, and there are not enough studies to show what their gut microbiome is doing.  I know for many they feel so much better that they don’t want to add it back in for fear of feeling terrible again or feeling the health ramifications of adding plant matter back in.  

The key will be to understand your personal needs and tolerances. If you don’t tolerate them at all, find out the root cause, there is more going on and even if you never want to eat them, you should still look at why you struggle with them as that has other effects on your health as well.  Our ancestors have included fiber and plant matter in their diets for millennia.