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What is fiber? In
terms of food, fiber is indigestible material that comes from
plants. Nature made specialized plant cell walls out of fiber
precisely to give rigidity and shape to trees, shrubs, grasses,
and herbs. When animals eat plants, our health benefits by the
nutrients they provide, as well as the positive effects fiber
has within the digestive tract.
The fiber composition of plants varies based on plant species
but, generally, all plants contain all kinds of fiber. The 2
main categories are:
- Water-insoluble, including cellulose, hemicellulose,
and lignin; and
- Water-soluble, including pectin, gums, and
mucilage. Water-soluble fiber is considered the most
health-benefiting type of fiber, especially mucilage fiber.
Which foods give us fiber? Only foods from plant
sources will supply us with fiber necessary for health
because animal products lack fiber. Fiber-rich foods include:
- unprocessed seeds like flax, psyllium, sesame, sunflower
and chia, and nuts (but not the oils from them);
- wheat, oat, barley, and rice bran and other whole grains
such as brown rice (but not the white rice or white flour
made from them);
- certain vegetables such as beets, asparagus, broccoli,
artichokes, carrots, brussels sprouts, parsnips, spinach,
and yams (excluding one-celled greens);
- mucilaginous herbs like slippery elm;
- several kinds of seaweed such as kelp or dulse;
- legumes such as kidney, lima, pinto, navy and soy beans,
chickpeas, lentils, and peas.
- pectin of some fruits such as apples, pears, prunes and
raspberries; and
- supplements of concentrated fiber.
Diets deprived of fiber can be corrected by incorporating
more of the fiber-rich foods (such as the ones listed above)
into your diet, or by adding fiber supplements to fiber-poor
foods. We use a specially prepared blend of fiber and nutrients
called Udo's Choice Wholesome Fast Food Blend.
Why do we need fiber? By the age of 40, at 3 meals per
day, one person would have eaten almost 44,000 meals. With
numbers like this, efficient passing of food through our system
becomes a valuable asset to our health. Insoluble fiber:
- Delays gastric emptying time and the absorption of
nutrients from the small intestine;
- Sweeps our digestive tract;
- Bulks stools;
- Accelerates colonic transit time;
- Alleviates constipation; and
- Promotes colon health.
In addition to the same benefits as are provided by
insoluble fiber, soluble fiber (especially the mucilage
type of soluble fiber) also:
- Escorts cholesterol and triglycerides out of the body and
inhibits their production in the liver;
- Assists with the elimination of toxins, and heavy metals
in the body;
- Stimulates pancreatic enzyme release and activity;
- Stabilizes blood glucose by slowing down glucose
absorption;
- Aids in weight loss by providing a feeling of fullness and
reducing calorie absorption;
- Improves bowel regularity by absorbing water;
- Significantly increases colonic transit time;
- Eases irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in some cases;
- Soothes our intestines; and
- Reduces risk of colon cancer.
How do we use fiber? The most important point to make is
simply that fiber needs to be present in optimum quantities
in our food supply. Research suggests that 35-50 grams (1-2
ounces) per day brings optimum bowel health for adults,
but the average American only gets about 12 grams per day.
Udo's Choice Wholesome Fast Food Blend is best added to
vegetable juices, oatmeal, porridge, yogurt, apple sauce, or
soups and can be sprinkled onto virtually any food. Add greens,
digestive enzymes, essential fats, protein powder, yogurt and
lots of water to the Fast Food Blend, and turn it into a blended
shake. It is delicious, nutritious, and will fill you up for
hours. Water-soluble fiber will thicken liquids, so adding extra
water to recipes is advised.
During times of hungry, or low blood sugar (and the mood swings,
tiredness, double vision, and/or shakiness that go with low
blood sugar), simply put 2 Tbsp. of Udo's Choice Wholesome Fast
Food Blend in an 8oz. glass of water and drink. The low blood
sugar blues disappear quickly.
Because the Wholesome Fast Food Blend is made from whole foods,
it is still perishable. Once the bottle has been opened, it must
be placed back in the fridge and used within 3 months for
supreme freshness.
Fiber is used for easing both constipation and chronic diarrhea.
However, in some cases, fiber could aggravate diarrhea, so it is
recommended to reduce your dietary fiber intake or refrain from
ingesting more fiber until symptoms have disappeared. Visit your
naturopathic physician for special conditions and advise.
What makes Udo's Choice Wholesome Fast Food Blend unique?
Udo's Choice Wholesome Fast Food Blend provides more than just
fiber. It is a blend of 50 different ingredients including whole
food concentrates, vegetables, and phytonutrient-rich herbs. The
constituents of this unique formula are of the finest quality,
all natural, and primarily organic. Hints of cinnamon and almond
add to the flavor. Its ingredients include:
- Over 35% fiber;
- Approximately 20% proteins;
- Approximately 15% essential fats;
- Very little carbohydrate;
- Small amounts of greens and herbs;
Ingredients:
flaxseed and flax, sunflower seed, sesame
seed, rice germ and bran, oat germ and bran, tofu, dried sugar
cane juice, carrot, tomato, pumpkin seed, sprouted soybeans,
cinnamon, ginger, licorice root, parsley, chrysanthemum, beet,
almond flavoring, lemon grass, protease, lipase, amylase,
cellulase, maltase, glycoamylase, invertase, pectinase, phytase,
lactase, broccoli, kelp, yucca, hawthorn berry, milk thistle,
burdock root, red clover, kale, dandelion root and leaf,
psyllium husk, slippery elm, stevia, artichoke, rosemary, thyme,
sage, gingko extract, barley grass, alfalfa grass, spirulina,
bee pollen, dulse, chlorella, oat grass, red beet juice powder,
rye grass, peppermint, bilberry leaf, American ginseng, grape
seed extract.
Nutritional Information:
1 tablespoon serving (56 servings per 16
oz. container) contains:
|
|
Amount
per serving |
%
DV* |
| Calories |
35 |
|
| Calories
from fat |
15 |
|
| Total
fat |
1.5
g |
2% |
| Saturated
fat |
0.2
g |
0% |
| Polyunsaturated
fat |
1.125
g |
** |
| |
Omega-3
fatty acids |
0.7
g |
** |
| |
Omega-6
fatty acids |
0.4
g |
** |
| Monounsaturated
fat |
0.18
g |
** |
| Cholesterol |
0 mg
|
0%
|
| Total
carbohydrates |
3 g
|
1%
|
| Dietary
fiber |
3 g
|
12%
|
| |
Soluble
fiber |
1 g
|
**
|
| |
Insoluble
fiber |
2.5 g
|
**
|
| Sugars |
1 g
|
**
|
| Protein |
2 g
|
|
| Calcium |
24 mg
|
2%
|
| Iron |
0.7 mg
|
4%
|
| Sodium |
0 mg
|
0%
|
| Potassium |
100 mg
|
5%
|
*Percent
Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
**Daily Value (DV) not established |
Available in
16oz. (454g) brown glass bottles.
Retail Price $21.95
Your Price: $19.79 (10%
off!)
Limited Time
Special Offer: Buy 2 bottles at 10% off and get another FREE!
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