food properties Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Nutritionist Dr. Andrea Del Seppia

Foods for intestinal health

Misura's interview with Dr. Andrea Del Seppia

Let's talk about the topic with our nutritionist, Dr. Andrea Del Seppia.

Dr. Del Seppia, the importance of dietary fiber in guaranteeing intestinal well-being is known, but is the fiber all the same?

There are two different types of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble. Plant foods often contain both in different proportions. Insoluble fiber has the property of absorbing water and in this way it increases the volume and softness of the fecal mass, favoring its transit along the intestine: it is thus able to stimulate peristalsis. Therefore, a diet poor in whole grains and vegetables can lead to slowed intestinal transit. The second type of fiber, called soluble or gelling, has other effects on intestinal well-being: these substances are indigestible by our enzymes but they represent an important source of nourishment for the good bacteria that populate the intestine. Soluble fiber, therefore, has a remarkable prebiotic effect - that is, it favors the balance of a healthy bacterial flora - and also guarantees the maintenance of a correct pH (or acidity level) of the intestinal environment, protecting us from dangerous microorganisms

What are the dietary precautions that it is desirable to adopt in order to enjoy a good intestinal transit?

The cornerstones for achieving good bowel regularity are two: adequate fiber intake (25 grams per day, with daily consumption of plant foods) and water, about 2 liters for women and 2 liters and a half for men (LARN , IV Review, SINU 2014). The same fruits and vegetables recommended for the fiber content also contain a good percentage of water, which is important for softening the faeces. A correct water supply (mainly from water or unsweetened teas) is essential to ensure that the insoluble fiber is able to hydrate properly, otherwise it would end up exerting a constipating effect instead of accelerating peristalsis. It is good to remember to maintain an adequate and constant daily water supply starting from the awakening when the water demands are greater. However, sometimes these measures may be insufficient: there are cases in which, even with the intake of liquids and fiber in line with the recommendations, intestinal regularity is still not optimal. Excluding pathological changes, in these situations other food variables must be kept in mind. For example, the excessive reduction in the feeding of fats from extra virgin olive oil risks reducing the lubricating and softening function of the precious monounsaturated lipids contained in the Mediterranean condiment par excellence. The role of some food sources of carbohydrates is also of fundamental importance: their rehydration, as happens in the cooking of pasta, increases their volume and water content. Low-calorie diets, which greatly reduce this important macronutrient from feeding, risk causing a slowed-down intestinal transit.

Are there other factors involved in maintaining the well-being of our intestines?

The set of microorganisms that inhabits our gastrointestinal tract is called microbiota and, if in balance, it helps to maintain good intestinal function and motility, protects us from certain infections, supports the digestive processes and produces some vitamins. The intestinal bacterial flora has a fundamental role in preserving the state of general health and needs to be fed with the prebiotic substances mentioned above. These microorganisms have shown to be able to regulate many extra-intestinal functions, in particular some aspects of the immune system. The most recent research is investigating their potential in modulating some responses in the brain thanks to the so-called gut-brain axis. The state of equilibrium at the level of the microbiota is called "eubiosis" and foresees that the probiotic microorganisms (ie that component which has a positive action for our body) are well represented, in order to keep the other components of the microbial flora at bay.

Are there functional foods that can help intestinal health?

Many populations around the world have a long tradition of fermented foods.
The fermentation process changes the nutritional and organoleptic characteristics of the starting food, allowing it to be prolonged. Speaking of fermented foods, in our culture we immediately think of yogurt: although the milk enzymes contained in this food cannot survive long in our intestines, yogurt seems to have positive effects on our health (especially if there is no an abundant addition of sugars). Several fermented foods typical of other geographical areas such as kefir (a fermented milk typical of the Caucasus region), kombucha (a sweetened and fermented drink made from tea leaves) and fermented vegetables are good allies of intestinal well-being.

The importance of consuming fibers during pregnancy

Misura's interview with Dr. Andrea Del Seppia

Let's talk about the topic with our nutritionist, Dr. Andrea Del Seppia.

Dr. Del Seppia, what is meant by fiber?

By the term fiber we mean a series of compounds from the plant world (cereals, legumes, fruit and vegetables) and which are not digested by our enzymatic systems. The fiber can be distinguished as soluble and insoluble in water. Generally, soluble fiber, such as pectins, β-glucans and inulin, is a fiber that forms a viscous gel in contact with water and is highly fermentable by our intestinal bacterial flora. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, is a less viscous and less fermentable fiber and is mainly represented by cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. From these characteristics many valuable properties derive for our intestinal well-being, even during pregnancy, although they do not have a significant caloric intake.

What are the properties of the fiber?

Forming a gel in contact with water, the soluble fiber increases the mass and the viscosity of the gastric contents. This activity results in a greater sense of satiety between meals, better appetite control and, consequently, greater control over weight gain during pregnancy. The viscous mass, formed by fiber and water, reduces the speed of absorption of sugars in the blood and therefore an excessive increase in post-prandial glycaemia, thus representing an effective dietary intervention to prevent the onset of gestational diabetes mellitus, a type of diabetes which can occur during pregnancy.

The same mechanism is also observed for triglycerides, preventing their normal absorption by our body. The fiber is fermented by our intestinal bacterial flora creating more voluminous and soft stools and thus facilitating the evacuation. The fermentation of the fiber produces short chain fatty acids, which have a nourishing effect on the intestinal mucosa. Hence the prebiotic effect of the fibers. Prebiotics are defined as those non-digestible substances that stimulate the growth and activity of our bacterial microflora. It has been shown that the fiber is able to stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, considered to be good bacteria.

Insoluble fiber leads to an increase in the volume of intestinal contents due to its ability to attract water (whose contribution must always be constant and abundant) and this results in a stimulation of intestinal peristalsis (contractions that favor intestinal transit), inducing the evacuation and reducing the time spent in the digestive tract. The effectiveness of the fibers on intestinal regularity and the beneficial effect it can have on constipation (a problem that is frequently found in pregnant women) is therefore clear.

What foods do you recommend eating to increase your fiber intake?

The amount of fiber present in plant foods is very variable. Generally, whole grains and derivatives such as wheat flour and wheat bran are very rich in insoluble fibers that we can find in good quantities even in dried fruit and vegetables (artichokes, chicory, beets, cauliflower, aubergines, turnips, radishes, etc.). The soluble fiber, on the other hand, is found mainly in legumes (especially in lentils, beans and chickpeas) and in all fruit in general.
All future mothers are reminded that for the safety of the unborn child it is always good to consume fruit and vegetables after having washed them thoroughly.

How to have a conscious approach to milk and its derivatives

Misura's interview with Dr. Andrea Del Seppia

Let's talk about the topic with our nutritionist, Dr. Andrea Del Seppia.

Dr. Del Seppia, what kind of sugars are present in the milk and how are they digested?

The sugar most present in milk is lactose. Chemically, lactose is a "disaccharide", or a compound sugar that during the digestive phase is broken down into two smaller units of glucose and galactose, which are then absorbed in the intestine. Physiologically, the assimilation of lactose, linked to the production of specific enzymes such as lactases produced by the intestine and the intestinal bacterial flora, may decrease over time, creating phenomena known as lactose intolerance. This condition prevents the assimilation of this sugar, which will be found in the intestine creating gastrointestinal disorders related to osmosis, or the recall of water in the faeces and fermentation in hydrogen and methane by the bacterial flora, symptoms translated into liquid stools, abdominal pain and swelling.

How do lactases behave and how does lactose intolerance develop?

Lactases are produced by our genes during the first years of life. Their production is stimulated by the intake of breast milk by the newborn. After weaning, however, gene transcription is regulated (programmed genetic decrease), which leads to a consequent and lower production of intestinal lactases. This reduction is observed in about 75% of the adult population.

What, then, is the eating behavior that must be faced with a lactose intolerance?

People with this problem will have to consume foods called delattosate, that is "lactose-free" or with low residues (such as, for example, highly matured cheeses).

From lactose sugar to casein protein ...

The milk also has a rich protein component, mainly composed of whey proteins and casein. The latter, of which cow's milk is very rich, is necessary for the coagulation of milk for the formation of cheese, but it is also the main cause of allergy to milk and derivatives.

What is an allergy and how does it differ from an intolerance?

Allergy is a very different phenomenon from intolerance, in this case, in fact, there is a real immunological response that involves our immune system and is characterized by the production of IgE antibodies. In the case of milk allergy, casein therefore behaves as an allergen, or a foreign molecule (called antigen) towards which our immune system is triggered. An allergic reaction occurs a few minutes after the ingestion of milk (10-20 minutes) and with symptoms much more violent than those of intolerance, and on various districts, such as, for example, the gastrointestinal, respiratory and skin with reactions that can lead to anaphylactic shock.

So how should you behave if you have a casein allergy?

In general, casein allergy is addressed through a dietary intervention that completely excludes milk and all its derivatives from the diet, including the so-called delactosate products that were instead recommended for those suffering from intolerance.

Foods for intestinal health

We know that good health also comes from the intestine: this important apparatus is able to modulate our sense of well-being and good intestinal function also depends on proper nutrition.

Misura's interview with Dr. Andrea Del Seppia

Dr. Del Seppia, the importance of dietary fiber in guaranteeing intestinal well-being is known, but is the fiber all the same?

What are the dietary precautions that it is desirable to adopt in order to enjoy a good intestinal transit?

Are there other factors involved in maintaining the well-being of our intestines?

Are there functional foods that can help intestinal health?

What changes in your lifestyle can help intestinal health?

The importance of consuming fibers during pregnancy