Introduction:
Many studies have proposed that consuming a high-fiber diet reduces the antibody resistance of the gut microbiome. A person who eats 8 to 10 grams of soluble fiber daily has very few antibiotic-resistant microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and viruses compared to those who eat less fiber. The resistance to antibiotics in an individual depends on its gut microbiome, which is known to carry genetically encoded techniques and strategies to survive contact with antibiotics. Microbes in the gut generally resist antibiotics such as tetracyclines and aminoglycoside, putting people at higher chances of infection. Studies and research are still going on to figure out the relationship between diet and antibiotic resistance in the body.
What Is the Gut Microbiome?
Gut microbiomes are groups of microorganisms, particularly bacteria, viruses, and fungi, in trillions of quantities. These microorganisms are important to maintain gut health the immune system of the body, heart conditions, weight, and many other important aspects of the body. The functions of the gut microbiome also include the digestion of breast milk, helping control brain health, and digestion of fibers. The alterations in the quality of gut microbiomes lead to many problems, such as improper digestion, inflammation, diarrhea, and other conditions.
What Is a High Fiber Diet?
Fiber is a very important part of the diet that does not go under digestion in the stomach but in the colon, where the gut microbiome digests it. This digestion of fibers leads to many health benefits, promotes weight loss, helps to reduce and balance blood sugar levels, and helps to have a good bowel movement without constipation. It is recommended to consume about 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories of diet; this accounts for almost 24 grams of fiber for women and 38 grams for men.
What Are the Benefits Offered by Dietary Fibers?
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Promotion of Healthy Weight: High-fiber food like vegetables and fruits have low calories and undergo slow digestion in the stomach. This gives a full stomach feeling for a long time and prevents overeating or unnecessary eating.
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Reduction in Cholesterol: Fibers that are present in the digestive tract help to reduce the body’s cholesterol absorption. This phenomenon generally works after consuming statins, which are medications used to reduce cholesterol and supplement with fiber like psyllium.
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Addition of Bulk to the Digestive Tract: People suffering from constipation or a sluggish digestive tract may need to add fiber to their diet. Fiber functions as bulk in the digestive tract, which is not digested and stimulates the intestines.
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Maintenance of Blood Sugar Levels: Fiber digestion takes a long time. Thus the blood sugar level is maintained, especially in cases of diabetes.
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Reduces Chances of Gastrointestinal Cancer: Intake of a high-fiber diet protects the digestive tract from many cancerous conditions such as colon cancer. This is because many fibers have antioxidant properties.
What Are High-Fiber Food Items?
Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber; some of the foods which have a higher content of fiber are:
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Pears: A medium-sized pear contains approximately 5.5 grams of fiber. It is a tasty and good source of fiber which can be easily available too.
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Avocado: The fiber content of one cup of raw avocado is almost 10 grams. It is a unique fruit that contains healthy fats instead of carbohydrates. These are also rich in vitamin C, potassium, vitamin E, and several vitamin B.
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Apples: A medium-sized apple may contain around 2.4 to 3 grams of fiber. These are one of the tastiest and most easily available fruits.
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Bananas: Being a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium, they are also rich in fiber. A banana may contain approximately 3 to 4 grams of fiber, depending on the size.
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Carrots: An easily available root vegetable that accounts for around 3 grams of fiber in a single carrot.
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Beetroot: It is also a root vegetable rich in fiber and other important nutrients such as folate, iron, copper, manganese, and potassium. Each beetroot contains almost 3.8 grams of fiber.
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Broccoli: It is one of the most nutrient-dense foods, which is loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, vitamin B, manganese, and antioxidants that help to fight cancer. Broccoli contains approximately 2.3 to 2.6 grams of fiber per 100 grams.
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Lentils: These are one of the cheapest foods that are rich in fiber content, accounting for almost 13 grams in one standard cup.
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Kidney Beans: These are popular legumes of almost 12.3 grams of fiber in a standard cup.
What Diet May Increase Antibiotic Resistance?
Eating a diverse diet containing all the nutrients in the right proportion is important to prevent diseases. Consumption of animal proteins and fats such as beef and pork can increase the antibiotic resistance of the gut microbiome, thus making the body prone to infections and digestive problems. The animal proteins alter the antimicrobial-resistant genes of the gut microbiome and thus increase the resistance.
Conclusion:
Fibers have several benefits for the body’s functions, including good digestion, weight loss, and maintenance of blood sugar levels. The consumption of high-fiber diets makes the gut microbiome less resistant to antibiotics, improves gut health, and prevents digestive problems and diseases such as inflammation, infections, and cancers. Consuming high fiber-rich fruits and vegetables such as peas, carrots, broccoli, lentils, and kidney beans reduces the genetic potential of the gut microbiome towards antibiotic resistance and maintains good health.
