Is Fibre Really Necessary?

alf_Josiah said:

One word
Idiot

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A well reasoned critique of the presentation... nice one.

alf_Josiah said:

Idiot

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Idiot was formerly a legal and psychiatric category of profound intellectual disability, where a person's mental age is two years or less, and he or she cannot guard himself or herself against common physical dangers.
So not really. But everyone is allowed an opinion, any particular reason why?

Without enough fibre I'm in trouble.I take 10-15 grams of psyllium husk 3 times a day, followed by a glass of water.
I had a pretty serious situation last year and have found psyllium husk keeps things moving.I wouldn't be without it.

I know we are all different, but for me, and my diet, I need to supplement with fibre.

For me vegetable fibre is essential

I used to believe that fibre was necessary for my gut health and comfort In fact, there are a few old posts of mine on this forum saying exactly that
My opinion was fed by the fact that when eating low and very low carb (keto) my guts would... um... if I didn't get several good portions of proper veg (not flimsy leafy greens) every day.

However, circs dictated (tummy bug ) that I gave up veg for a while about 6 months ago.
I was quite about the bowel issues...
and to my I discovered that my issues improved. On a diet of just meat, fish, eggs and dairy I have been having the best 'issues' since my youth. Marvellous.

My conclusion is simple - if I avoid fibre completely and eat carnivore with plenty of fat, I have excellent gut comfort. If I eat low carb/keto then things worsen and I start worriting about getting 'enough' of certain veg and fibres while avoiding grains and gluten and other phaff. Yet no matter what fibre/veg balance I achieve I am more comfortable if I just eat carnivore (that graphic is not red and white Y fronts, it is in fact a stylised representation of a well marbled ribeye steak).

Of course, I can't say if there will be any long term consequences of this, but at the moment I am going with the idea that more comfort, less urgency, less gas, more ease, more regularity, no straining or (worse) splatter gun effects, are a sign of internal happiness

sigh if only I liked fatty meats and eggs.....

I recently tried an experiment where for 3 days the only change was that I ate no vegs at all - still ate my berries with breakfast and one day had a tangelo. Still ate dark chocolate. By the end of the experiment, without getting too graphic, I was having a much easier time of things. Soon as I ate veg again, much gassier, much more bloated and much more difficcult with the deed.

So, I'm trying to work up the courage to try it full time. Will see how I go. But was very encouraged by the increased comfort from omitting vegs.

Indy51 said:

I recently tried an experiment where for 3 days the only change was that I ate no vegs at all - still ate my berries with breakfast and one day had a tangelo. Still ate dark chocolate. By the end of the experiment, without getting too graphic, I was having a much easier time of things. Soon as I ate veg again, much gassier, much more bloated and much more difficcult with the deed.

So, I'm trying to work up the courage to try it full time. Will see how I go. But was very encouraged by the increased comfort from omitting vegs.

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Now the thing is with me I never get bloated or gaseous with veggies, never have, so maybe I am one of those people who do need them.

I watched the video and have just read a book on the gut microbiome (actually listened to it as I have dodgy diabetic eyes so struggle with print).
I think it was a refutation of the common belief that the soluble fibre in carbs such as the healthy wholegrains are of intrinsic benefit; if the price to be paid for eating porridge and rye bread etc. is having massive insulin/glucose spikes with all the health problems they entail then it may not be worth it. If you are currently eating white bread and cornflakes for breakfast then eating porridge would be a step in the right direction. It seems impossible for the message to be nuanced or perhaps it is assumed that people can't cope with 50 shades of black/white?
As he points out there is much less known about the benefits of insoluble fibre in terms of a) having a diverse microbiome b) knowing if having that actually helps your metabolism. The way you were born, how may antibiotics you have taken. exercise habits as well as your diet affect the former and the latter is really interesting but I won't be giving a 'poo pill' to my fat child and husband just yet.
Incidentally The Great British Gut Project will do an analysis of your own microbiome so you can see how you compare to others from £75 (cotton bud wiped across your toilet paper btw).
What was not mentioned was that eating your greens helps you to feel full and provides useful micro nutrients; some of us feel better eating lots of veggies and some of us with sensitivities to fodmaps need to be more careful in what we choose.
Aka Eat the foods you love that love you back!