Is Fibre A Menace?

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metabolizm

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According to Konstantin Monastyrsky (gutsense.org), the primary cause of constipation and colorectal disorders (IBS, colitis, colon cancer, etc.) is dietary fibre.

Ray himself has claimed to eat a "fibre-free diet", but that's not quite right: he eats raw carrots and mushrooms because of their fibre. When he claims to eschew fibre, however, I think he's referring to his disavowal of the mainstream conception of valuable fibre: whole wheat, vegetables, beans, etc. (I think raw carrot is a gentler form of fibre than the likes of whole wheat, and is less likely to produce gas). Just last week, there was an article on the BBC urging people to eat much more fibre, such confidence did they have in its value. I seem to encounter this supposed nutritional axiom just about every day.

But my experience seems to validate the idea that generally avoiding fibre actually improves transit time and digestion quite significantly, in line with the research of Konstantin Monastyrsky. Sure, I'm still getting small amounts of it from whole fruit and vegetables occasionally, as well as sometimes having a carrot salad or mushrooms. But according to conventional standards I'm doing everything wrong.

Has anyone else had the same experience? Does anyone else find a low-fibre, low-residue diet improves their transit time and reduces the likelihood of constipation? (Which in theory should gradually improve all markers of health)?
 
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Hans

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According to Konstantin Monastyrsky (gutsense.org), the primary cause of constipation and colorectal disorders (IBS, colitis, colon cancer, etc.) is dietary fibre.

Ray himself has claimed to eat a "fibre-free diet", but that's not quite right: he eats raw carrots and mushrooms because of their fibre. When he claims to eschew fibre, however, I think he's referring to his disavowal of the mainstream conception of valuable fibre: whole wheat, vegetables, beans, etc. (I think raw carrot is a gentler form of fibre than the likes of whole wheat, and is less likely to produce gas). Just last week, there was an article on the BBC urging people to eat much more fibre, such confidence did they have in its value. I seem to encounter this supposed nutritional axiom just about every day.

But my experience seems to validate the idea that generally avoiding fibre actually improves transit time and digestion quite significantly, in line with the research of Konstantin Monastyrsky. Sure, I'm still getting small amounts of it from whole fruit and vegetables occasionally, as well as sometimes having a carrot salad or mushrooms. But according to conventional standards I'm doing everything wrong.

Has anyone else had the same experience? Does anyone else find a low-fibre, low-residue diet improves their transit time and reduces the likelihood of constipation? (Which in theory should gradually improve all markers of health)?
For sure. But not all fiber is the same for me. Gut irritating foods, like potatoes (I appear to react negatively to potatoes, either due to it being nightshade or due to the starch), lows of raw apple fiber, etc, gives me more tarry slow stool. It feels like incomplete defecation. Whereas if I eliminate gut-irritating things, my transit time and fast and stool quality are awesome. Recently I added in cooked apple to my diet and it's been a week now and my bowel movements are still perfect.
So it still comes down to the specific food/fiber for me and not so much all fiber.
 

David90

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@metabolizm

Yeah, i think going Low Fiber helps to improve Digestion and Bloating.

Since switching to a lower Anount of Fiber, my Digestion has never been Better. Also i think like @Hans said, that the Specific Food/Fiber makes also a Difference. When i was Younger, i had eaten Whole Wheat and Beans and they caused me so much Bloating and Gas. Also my Fiber was WAY higher back then (40g-45 per Day) which is also not good in the Long Term. I Have Reduced it gradually over the Years and now i‘m mostly somewhere between 10-25g of Fiber per Day (Depends if i have a Workout Day or Not)
 
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metabolizm

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@Hans
@David90

Glad I’m not the only one having this experience.

The only problem I’m having is with getting enough calories. I don’t really do well with potatoes or refined wheat either, so I’m eating lots of white rice, which seems okay. Also trying to drink more whole milk, but not sure it’s digesting very well.
 

TheSir

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@Hans
@David90

Glad I’m not the only one having this experience.

The only problem I’m having is with getting enough calories. I don’t really do well with potatoes or refined wheat either, so I’m eating lots of white rice, which seems okay. Also trying to drink more whole milk, but not sure it’s digesting very well.
Try raw honey if you can source it locally. Convenient way to bump up your intake.
 

CLASH

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I dont think all fiber is "a menace", I think it depends on the type as the OP and many have suggested.

I and the people I have worked with seem to do best on fiber from fruits and vegetables mainly. Some people I know and have worked with do well with yams and white potatoes, while others such as myself feel pretty bad with them in my diet. The overall trend seems to be avoiding grains and legume fibers, and using mainly fruit and certain vegetables fibers (tubers included for individuals that tolerate them). In my experience within the broad category of fruit and vegetable fibers theres alot of individuality as far as what different people tolerate. Have to find what specific fruits and vegetables work for you.

As for getting enough calories, I personally use fruit juice, whole fruit, dried fruit, and I make sure I eat enough mononsaturated/ saturated fat (the fat is especially important if not eating starch; such as in my case).
 
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For me, what helps avoid constipation is sufficient fats especially long chain saturated fats ( Butter, Cocoa Butter.)

I dont think all fiber is bad. For me, beans are a terrible type of fiber and I get gassy and irritated gut from it. Wheat bread does the opposite, causes no gas and provides good bulk to stool. I remember reading somewhere in this forum that most fibers are directly correlated to certain cancers (colon I think?), except for wheat fiber. In my experience that is true, although I guess the Gluten can be an issue for some sensitive individuals.
 

Hans

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For me, what helps avoid constipation is sufficient fats especially long chain saturated fats ( Butter, Cocoa Butter.)

I dont think all fiber is bad. For me, beans are a terrible type of fiber and I get gassy and irritated gut from it. Wheat bread does the opposite, causes no gas and provides good bulk to stool. I remember reading somewhere in this forum that most fibers are directly correlated to certain cancers (colon I think?), except for wheat fiber. In my experience that is true, although I guess the Gluten can be an issue for some sensitive individuals.
Do you experience the same benefit from beef/lamb fat?
Palmitic and stearic acid binds to receptors in the gut which promotes transit time. I think it's due to this fact that my transit time and bowel movements are better with red meat vs white meat.
 
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Do you experience the same benefit from beef/lamb fat?
Palmitic and stearic acid binds to receptors in the gut which promotes transit time. I think it's due to this fact that my transit time and bowel movements are better with red meat vs white meat.
I dont eat much lamb, but the beef fat definitely also seems to help. In my experience, any type of fat with moderate to high amounts of long chain saturated fats increase bile flow which increases my bowel movements.
 

Amazoniac

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For sure. But not all fiber is the same for me. Gut irritating foods, like potatoes (I appear to react negatively to potatoes, either due to it being nightshade or due to the starch), lows of raw apple fiber, etc, gives me more tarry slow stool. It feels like incomplete defecation. Whereas if I eliminate gut-irritating things, my transit time and fast and stool quality are awesome. Recently I added in cooked apple to my diet and it's been a week now and my bowel movements are still perfect.
So it still comes down to the specific food/fiber for me and not so much all fiber.
Juan, have you tried to mash potatoes and the cooked apples together?

If you supplement killcium, I would watchout if it's not leading to adverse reactions to starches because suppressing their fermentation can retard elimination and be counterproductive. It's preferable to not impede it and let them pass fast, than to suppress it but slow down the process.

Related to this, selecting starches based on amylose content is a mistake. It's not determinant to the response because it's just one factor in many. It's associated with a greater amount of resistant starch, but also nutrition. Those that are low in it are usually soggy, lack substance and provide no sustenance.

Which would you choose?

upload_2020-10-8_8-11-1.png
upload_2020-10-8_8-11-9.png

I'm certain that the one on the right is more balanced and nourishing. I've witnessed enough people leaving behind waxy potatoes on their plate to know that rejecting those that lack consistency is something intuitively consistent. Taste, appearance and smell continue to be more reliable guides, the ideal amount of amylose will be factored in.
 

Hans

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Juan, have you tried to mash potatoes and the cooked apples together?

If you supplement killcium, I would watchout if it's not leading to adverse reactions to starches because suppressing their fermentation can retard elimination and be counterproductive. It's preferable to not impede it and let them pass fast, than to suppress it but slow down the process.

Related to this, selecting starches based on amylose content is a mistake. It's not determinant to the response because it's just one factor in many. It's associated with a greater amount of resistant starch, but also nutrition. Those that are low in it are usually soggy, lack substance and provide no sustenance.

Which would you choose?


I'm certain that the one on the right is more balanced and nourishing. I've witnessed enough people leaving behind waxy potatoes on their plate to know that rejecting those that lack consistency is something intuitively consistent. Taste, appearance and smell continue to be more reliable guides, the ideal amount of amylose will be factored in.
I have not tried those together and I don't think I'm going to have potatoes any time soon. I also wasn't supplementing calcium at the time I was eating a lot of potatoes, or at least not consistently, so I don't think that inference was going on.
 

Kram

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Do you experience the same benefit from beef/lamb fat?
Palmitic and stearic acid binds to receptors in the gut which promotes transit time. I think it's due to this fact that my transit time and bowel movements are better with red meat vs white meat.
Does too much stomach acid or bile flow (e.g., from glycine and taurine) lead to loose stools or is it just serotonin / gut irritating foods that make things loose/watery?
 

gaze

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@Hans
@David90

Glad I’m not the only one having this experience.

The only problem I’m having is with getting enough calories. I don’t really do well with potatoes or refined wheat either, so I’m eating lots of white rice, which seems okay. Also trying to drink more whole milk, but not sure it’s digesting very well.

What are your macros? I think certain micronutrient deficiencies are very important for constipation. People often say magnesium, but I think selenium might be more important. The problem is that the body needs glucose metabolism to utilize a micronutrient, and glucose metabolism requires sufficient macros. Have you ever ate some balanced meal and felt the bile release and good bowel movements after? I think that’s the feeling you should be after, and usually it’s some micronutrient “turning on” the thyroid, my guess is selenium. But just supplementing selenium won’t work I think. the macros of protein and fat although they help the bile release, arnt enough. I’ve never had that bile release and bowel movement feeling after cheese and orange juice, although someone with good thyroid status may
 
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MrCornect

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According to Konstantin Monastyrsky (gutsense.org), the primary cause of constipation and colorectal disorders (IBS, colitis, colon cancer, etc.) is dietary fibre.

Ray himself has claimed to eat a "fibre-free diet", but that's not quite right: he eats raw carrots and mushrooms because of their fibre. When he claims to eschew fibre, however, I think he's referring to his disavowal of the mainstream conception of valuable fibre: whole wheat, vegetables, beans, etc. (I think raw carrot is a gentler form of fibre than the likes of whole wheat, and is less likely to produce gas). Just last week, there was an article on the BBC urging people to eat much more fibre, such confidence did they have in its value. I seem to encounter this supposed nutritional axiom just about every day.

But my experience seems to validate the idea that generally avoiding fibre actually improves transit time and digestion quite significantly, in line with the research of Konstantin Monastyrsky. Sure, I'm still getting small amounts of it from whole fruit and vegetables occasionally, as well as sometimes having a carrot salad or mushrooms. But according to conventional standards I'm doing everything wrong.

Has anyone else had the same experience? Does anyone else find a low-fibre, low-residue diet improves their transit time and reduces the likelihood of constipation? (Which in theory should gradually improve all markers of health)?
According to Konstantin Monastyrsky (gutsense.org), the primary cause of constipation and colorectal disorders (IBS, colitis, colon cancer, etc.) is dietary fibre.

Ray himself has claimed to eat a "fibre-free diet", but that's not quite right: he eats raw carrots and mushrooms because of their fibre. When he claims to eschew fibre, however, I think he's referring to his disavowal of the mainstream conception of valuable fibre: whole wheat, vegetables, beans, etc. (I think raw carrot is a gentler form of fibre than the likes of whole wheat, and is less likely to produce gas). Just last week, there was an article on the BBC urging people to eat much more fibre, such confidence did they have in its value. I seem to encounter this supposed nutritional axiom just about every day.

But my experience seems to validate the idea that generally avoiding fibre actually improves transit time and digestion quite significantly, in line with the research of Konstantin Monastyrsky. Sure, I'm still getting small amounts of it from whole fruit and vegetables occasionally, as well as sometimes having a carrot salad or mushrooms. But according to conventional standards I'm doing everything wrong.

Has anyone else had the same experience? Does anyone else find a low-fibre, low-residue diet improves their transit time and reduces the likelihood of constipation? (Which in theory should gradually improve all markers of health)?

I agree and found the same as you. In 2014 iv decided to go on a "vegan" diet, mainly consisting of fruit smoothies with oatmeal, whole grain breads, pasta, vegetables etc.. "healthy", sometimes eating up to 50-100 grams of fiber a day not even a year later I get diagnosed with crohns disease, a perianal fistula and intense pain and cramping especially while having a bowel movement. I was in denial it was the diet because everything I read was to eat more fiber, fiber for gut health. My symptoms only got worse developped a bladder fistula, refused medication and surgery although I did take antibiotics which helped.

After years of research iv came to the conclusion that fiber is not so good afterall. I followed a carnivore diet symptoms improved after just a few days. It was amazing for my gut but I had no energy and became depressed. Thankfully I found ray peats work, and stan efferdings vertical diet. This has changed my life. I have found that I cannot tolerate fructose, dairy, gluten and I avoid fiber at all costs. I eat beef, eggs, white rice, salt, liver once a week and fish once a week (low pufa). That is all and I feel amazing, my fistulas are healing, my energy through the roof iv never felt better in all my life. Eventually im gonna introduce some fruit and later hopefully I can tolerate dairy.

I supplement vitamin d3, magnesium, k2 once a week.
 

MrCornect

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@Hans
@David90

Glad I’m not the only one having this experience.

The only problem I’m having is with getting enough calories. I don’t really do well with potatoes or refined wheat either, so I’m eating lots of white rice, which seems okay. Also trying to drink more whole milk, but not sure it’s digesting very well.

Simplify your diet. If you have any type of digestive issues i can almost garuntee from experience, dairy and fructose will cause problems also any fiber. White rice is great, easy to eat alot for calories, also meat and eggs for nutrients and easy on digestion. I add salt to my meals it makes it taste alot better and I also feel better. My diet is white rice ground beef almost every meal, with eggs once a day usually (3), liver once a week and fish once a week. Vitamin d3 and magnesium also helps. I take k2 once a week as well. Do this for a a few weeks and see how you feel then add In one food at a time for example fruit (low fiber is best) for me I could not believe it was fructose that was my main culprit. Juices and fruit I love and eventually I will be adding them in my diet. Good luck!
 

reality

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Juan, have you tried to mash potatoes and the cooked apples together?

If you supplement killcium, I would watchout if it's not leading to adverse reactions to starches because suppressing their fermentation can retard elimination and be counterproductive. It's preferable to not impede it and let them pass fast, than to suppress it but slow down the process.

Related to this, selecting starches based on amylose content is a mistake. It's not determinant to the response because it's just one factor in many. It's associated with a greater amount of resistant starch, but also nutrition. Those that are low in it are usually soggy, lack substance and provide no sustenance.

Which would you choose?


I'm certain that the one on the right is more balanced and nourishing. I've witnessed enough people leaving behind waxy potatoes on their plate to know that rejecting those that lack consistency is something intuitively consistent. Taste, appearance and smell continue to be more reliable guides, the ideal amount of amylose will be factored in.

Do you have any proof amylose starch is more nutritious? Does this apply to rice?

I much prefer the taste of amylopectin starches, they taste much sweeter whereas amylose is drier and tasteless. This applies to both potato’s and rice for me (aka jasmine>basmati)
 

Hans

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Does too much stomach acid or bile flow (e.g., from glycine and taurine) lead to loose stools or is it just serotonin / gut irritating foods that make things loose/watery?
Yes that can happen. If you have too much bile, your rectum will burn when you poop and your stool with be on the yellow side. If you have too much stomach acid, you might feel burning immediately after eating a meal which might last a while, depending on how well your body neutralizes the acid once it's out of the stomach.
But oftentimes, loose/watery stool is due to gut irritation and inflammation as a result of having eaten certain FODMAP foods, undigested food, etc.
 

Amazoniac

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Do you have any proof amylose starch is more nutritious? Does this apply to rice?

I much prefer the taste of amylopectin starches, they taste much sweeter whereas amylose is drier and tasteless. This applies to both potato’s and rice for me (aka jasmine>basmati)
No, I remember coming across this article a while ago..

- Amylose content in starches: Toward optimal definition and validatingexperimental methods

"Starches with higher amylose have been shown to have lower digestibility or better nutritional value (Li, Jiang, Campbell, Blanco, Jane, 2008; Witt, Gidley, Gilbert, 2010; Zhu, Liu, Wilson, Gu, Shi, 2011)."​

..but apparently there's nothing to these, sorry for the confusion.

- Comparison Between Amylose-free and Amylose Containing Potato Starches

upload_2020-10-9_10-15-4.png

Only the one in the middle is contaminated.

It would be interesting to know how dense in starch they is.

To clarify, I wasn't implying that starches rich in amylose are the healthiest. For potatoes that haven't been extensively modified, what's considered high in it is relatively low, whereas the low still has a considerable amount. It's going to be tipped in favor of amylopectin and it won't be devoid of amylose, within reasonable proportions there are various other attributes of greater importance; this is a factor in many that dictate the response, it's not necessarily detrimental and the person could be ditching a nutritious potato based on a single parameter.

Nutrients aside, experiments like these remain meaningful:
- Asian Salted Noodle Quality: Impact of Amylose Content Adjustments Using Waxy Wheat Flour [I know (Terma, 2020).]

I have not tried those together and I don't think I'm going to have potatoes any time soon. I also wasn't supplementing calcium at the time I was eating a lot of potatoes, or at least not consistently, so I don't think that inference was going on.
Adding propolis to raw apples may be tried to make them more tolerable.
 
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