Fibrous carbohydrates = bad?! page

[YogaBare]

Hey everyone,

Since transitioning back to meat eating, I'm having a little bit of trouble with... umm... You know...! My bowel movements are not really happening. I was doing some research into GAPS (for an unrelated issue) and discovered that they don't advocate fibre as it:

"feeds microbes. The human digestive system is not designed to break down fiber. Instead, it ends up undigested in your bowel, where the majority of your gut flora resides. If your gut flora is healthy, ie dominated by beneficial, probiotic species, then these microbes will feed on the fiber and proliferate."

Meanwhile, over at the Danny Roddy thread:

Fibrous carbohydrates can cause complications with bacterial endotoxin and increase adaptive stress hormones.l

What are your views?

[Tribal Rob]

Define fibrous carbs? Are we talking whole grains or leafy greens? I'm firmly convinced we can eat as many leaves as we want, if there is one food that would have been available to most humans most of the time it's leaves, there is pretty much always some kind of leaf in season.

Trouble with not going is often down to lack of fat, how are you on this front?

[YogaBare]

Sorry, by "fibrous carbs" I mean veggies. I think I'm doing okay on the fat front... cooking liberally with saturated fat, and even spreading Ludpak butter on my food once it's cooked! I read that 'not going' can be caused by an inability to break down the fats due to a lack of acid in your stomach?

GAPS says that all leafy veggies are fibrous and therefore bad for your gut... And some people think that leafy greens are crap energy food.

My head hurts from all the conflicting info.. :P

[chronyx]

I am aware of this too, so I just take a probiotic in the evening after my evening meal which is usual kale or cauliflower.

I take it seperately from iodine which is anti-microbial!

[jimhensen]

Hey everyone,

Since transitioning back to meat eating, I'm having a little bit of trouble with... umm... You know...! My bowel movements are not really happening. I was doing some research into GAPS (for an unrelated issue) and discovered that they don't advocate fibre as it:

"feeds microbes. The human digestive system is not designed to break down fiber. Instead, it ends up undigested in your bowel, where the majority of your gut flora resides. If your gut flora is healthy, ie dominated by beneficial, probiotic species, then these microbes will feed on the fiber and proliferate."

Meanwhile, over at the Danny Roddy thread:



What are your views?

My views are the science doesn't support it. Fibrous carbs (veggies especially) have been shown to be extremely heart healthy. Honestly if anyone suggests that you should limit your fibrous veggie intake you should completely disregard everything else they say when it comes to nutrition...and probably anything else that comes out of their stupid mouths.

[Dirlot]

Nothing wrong with veggies, avocado, salad, and more....YUM!

If you are getting your 150g of carbs from them you are eating a serving platter full.

[Tribal Rob]

My understanding of leafy greens is that they are one of the healthiest things you can eat. Packed full of vitamins and minerals, and yes they feed the gut bacteria, that is why they are pre-biotics. I watches some nutrional BBC documentray ages ago, and they tested the effects of pro-biotics and pre-biotics, ie pills or yogerty drinks vs leafy greens, they concluded that the pro-biotics are useless and the pre-biotics worked great, I seem to recall the test involved asking people how they felt and testing samples for bacteria count and type.

[fatisyummy]

I really love salads. Like a lot. But every time I eat them, they cause me to get very bloated. Not gassy, just uncomfortably bloated in my lower abdomen area a bit later.

[Neckhammer]

I felt fine eating a BAS everyday. I also feel fine right now where I have more or less ditched the salad (just got sick of em)...... I transitioned when my salad garden bolted....don't feel like going back to store bought . In the fall when I get another crop going I'm sure my fibrous greens will be back up. If your gut is fairly healthy I see no reason to not eat fibrous veggies. If you have dysbiosis or your gut is otherwise compromised of course cooking the crap out of the veggies first renders them easier to digest....and you may even eliminate them completely for a period of time to let your gut heal.

[Neckhammer]

GAPS says that all leafy veggies are fibrous and therefore bad for your gut... And some people think that leafy greens are crap energy food.

GAPS is specifically for healing a compromised gut, and there are stages at which you add these things back in. In other words if your gut is healthy and you have no distress to eating these foods they should be perfectly fine. And I actually agree that they are crap food for "energy and nutrition". They work well as a delivery system for other yummies though. Eliminating them will not compromise your health, but I also don't see it as something that will make you "extra" healthy either. My thoughts on veggies in general are that they are a wash health wise if you are eating things like liver, heart, and broth.

Oh, except fermented veggies. I actually believe these types to be quite beneficial. Far more so than just cooking them down.