Fiber Supplementation, Friend or Foe?
The answer is, it depends...
Most of us can obtain plenty of whole food fiber naturally from vegetables, fruit, and, in some cases, full fat dairy products. And, concurrently, too much fiber is dangerous.
"Tan and Seow-Choen, in their 2007 editorial on fiber and colorectal disease, call insoluble fiber "the ultimate junk food," as "it is neither digestible nor absorbable and therefore devoid of nutrition." (9) Excess insoluble fiber can bind to minerals such as zinc, magnesium, calcium, and iron, preventing the absorption of these vital nutrients. (10) Large excesses of certain soluble fibers like pectin and guar may also inhibit pancreatic enzyme activity and protein digestion in the gut, leading to an anti-nutritive effect. (11)
The addition of insoluble and soluble fibers to processed foods may actually cause these foods to e even less nutritious than if they were not enriched with any fiber at all."
Your best strategy may simply be to change to a Paleo diet, move at a slow pace often, and workout intensely once-in-a-while. That way you keep your metabolism geared up and your pipes clean.
Thank you Chris Kresser
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