When you hear the word, fiber, what comes to mind? Edibles or wearables?
There is so much more attached to fiber than meets the eyes. Both in the food we eat and the clothes we wear.
This piece aims at providing relevant information on fiber as a component of coffee, the type found in coffee, and its health benefits when consumed. It does not all end there- it will further shed light on coffee ground fiber as a component of our clothes.
Does coffee have fiber?
According to Spanish experts, coffee, a known source of antioxidants, may also be a higher source of soluble dietary fiber than orange juice.
At first glance, the idea of fiber in coffee may appear absurd. Coffee, on the other hand, contains soluble fiber. You cannot see it, but it plays a critical role in our health.
Soluble dietary fiber, in particular, aids in the prevention of cholesterol absorption by the intestines.
Researchers in Spain have discovered that the quantities of soluble fiber in coffee are higher than anyone thought, surpassing those found in wine and orange juice.
Surprisingly, the largest concentrations are found in instant coffee rather than freshly ground coffee.
What is dietary fiber?
Fiber is the indigestible portions or chemicals of plants that pass through our stomach and intestines relatively undamaged. Fiber primarily comprises carbohydrates, and its primary function is to keep the digestive tract healthy. They can also be defined as dietary macro molecules which are resistant to digestion by human endogenous enzymes; and are usually comprised of plant cell wall remnants like cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectic polysaccharides, and lignin.
Other words for dietary fiber include bulk and roughage, which might be misleading because some fibers are water-soluble and are not bulky or rough.
Classification of fiber
Fibers can be grouped into two categories:
- Soluble fiber
- Insoluble fiber
Soluble fiber
When soluble fiber enters the stomach and intestines, it dissolves in water and other gastrointestinal fluids. Oat bran, barley, almonds, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and various fruits and vegetables all have soluble fibers. They are also present in psyllium, a popular fiber supplement. Some forms of soluble fiber have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease. Soluble fibers are converted into materials digestible by bacteria in the large intestine thereby releasing gases and some calories while at it. Soluble fiber helps to reduce diarrhea by drawing water and removing excess fluid.
Insoluble fiber
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water or gastrointestinal fluids, and it passes through the digestive tract mostly intact. Insoluble fiber does not provide calories since it is not digested.
According to Majumdar- a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, this can help with constipation because it adds weight to the stool and can get things going, almost like a laxative effect.
Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin are examples of insoluble fibers found in our diet.
Insoluble fiber plays a crucial role in intestinal health. Vegetables, fruit, and whole grains are good sources of this type of fiber.
There are lots of benefits that fibers confer on our health, both visible and otherwise.
Health benefits of fiber
Fiber consumption has several health benefits for the body. These advantages include everything from weight loss to full body cleansing. The following are just a few of the many health benefits of eating fiber:
Weight loss and long-term maintenance of a healthier weight
Soluble fiber keeps your gut bacteria healthy and helps you lose weight by curbing your hunger. Combine your soluble fiber consumption with other lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier foods and working out, to increase belly fat loss even more. According to research published in Annals of Internal Medicine, eating 30 grams of fiber per day could help you lose weight, reduce blood pressure and improve the insulin response of the body, just as efficiently as a more sophisticated diet.
Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is a key part of preventing heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and other serious illnesses.
Lowered risk of cancer.
Fiber encourages us to poop more frequently, increases the size of our poop, and dilutes the contents of our poop. As a result, hazardous substances spend less time in the intestine.
When fiber interacts with bacteria in the intestine, the bacteria produce butyrate. Butyrate keeps the cells in our intestine healthy, making tumors less likely to form. This reduces the risk of developing bowel cancer.
Fiber can help prevent breast cancer by:
Lowering insulin and other growth factors in the bloodstream
Lowering the estrogen levels, both of which can contribute to the development of the disease.
Production of gut bacteria
In your digestive system, millions of bacteria — some helpful, some not. Fiber feeds the good bacteria in your gut. Therefore the more fiber you eat, the more good bacteria you will have! Prebiotics are a form of plant fiber that your gut bacteria like.
Reduces the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Incorporating high-fiber foods into your diet is a good method of managing high blood sugar levels. When fiber is absorbed, your body reacts differently compared to when refined carbs, like white flour, are digested. A small amount of fiber passes through your digestive system undamaged. Because of this difference, diets high in fiber are less likely to trigger a blood sugar surge.
Detoxifying the entire body
Toxins tend to linger in the colon and intestines while the rest of the body functions. The accumulation of these poisons can have a variety of detrimental consequences for the body. It can block the absorption of nutrients, induce weight gain, and lead to many disorders, including colon cancer. More fiber in your diet will aid in the removal of harmful poisons from your body.
Prevents cardiac problems
Dietary fiber consumption is related to a lower risk of heart disease. Increased fiber consumption is associated with a lower incidence of metabolic syndrome, a set of characteristics that raises the risk of heart disease and diabetes. High blood pressure, high insulin levels, excess weight (particularly around the abdomen), high triglyceride levels, and low HDL (good) cholesterol are some of these risk factors.
Fiber and colon cancer
Dietary fiber is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. However, the reasons why it’s this way are unknown, it is possible that fiber increases stool size, dilutes content, and propels it through the stomach faster, reducing the length of time waste products remain in contact with the colon. Some types of fiber may also aid gut bacteria in the production of good compounds that are favorable to the intestine.
Fiber and beneficial bacteria
The importance of gut bacteria to our health has been progressively demonstrated in research, and it has been claimed that a fiber-rich diet can help raise the good bacteria in the gut. Some fibers provide a food source for ‘friendly’ gut bacteria, allowing them to multiply and create protective compounds like short-chain fatty acids.
What amount of fiber do we require?
Fiber intake should be increased to 30 grams per day for adults (aged 17 years and over). We consume far less than 30g of fiber per day – roughly 18g per day on average. Adults’ daily fiber intake should be nothing less than 30g. Fiber should also be increased in the diets of children.
Now that we understand perfectly well what dietary fiber is and the types there are, let’s dive right into the topic, ‘does coffee have fiber?’ and also the type of fiber coffee contains.
Fiber in coffee
Indigestible polysaccharides, also known as dietary fiber are abundant in coffee beans. Some of them may pass into brewed coffee. The coffees brewed by the commonest methods have been passed a specific pattern for determining dietary fiber in beverages. The results revealed that brewed coffee possesses significantly more soluble dietary fiber than other common beverages. The antioxidant phenolics included in coffee dietary fiber are abundant.
Although coffee beans are high in fiber, does any of it make it into the pot?
When you make coffee, a large quantity of soluble fiber goes from the ground beans into your drink, making it higher in fiber than drinks like wine or orange juice.
Coffee beans are abundant in fiber, with thirty beans providing about 3 grams of fiber or 10% of your daily recommended intake. A brewed cup of coffee, on the other hand, contains exactly 0 g of fiber.
Fiber is beneficial to your body in a variety of ways. For starters, it helps prevent constipation by bulking up your stool as it goes through your digestive tract. It also produces a feeling of fullness, even when consumed in small amounts, making it useful for weight loss.
The National Coffee Association estimates that 82 percent of American adults consume 3.2 cups of coffee each day, with each cup containing up to 1.5 grams of fiber. This surprising source of fiber aids in digestion and cholesterol management.
Caffeine is believed to assist in the facilitation of the transit of food through your digestive tract, in addition to boosting digestion through higher fiber consumption.
Coffee helps your body get the nutrients it needs from food and pass waste through the bowels by encouraging muscle contractions. If you want to reap the advantages of these fiber foods but find caffeine to be a touch too bitter for you, try mixing some salt into your coffee, which has an amazing effect on your taste buds.
Other sources of fiber
We have been saying fiber this and fiber that, we know all the benefits we get by consuming fibers. So asides from coffee, below are some other rich sources of fiber:
- Choosing a cereal high in fiber such as biscuit cereal, muesli, or porridge, for example. You can throw in some fruits, fresh or dried.
- Whole grains such as whole-wheat pasta, bulgur wheat, and brown rice are good choices.
- Potatoes with skins, such as baked potatoes, wedges, or boiling fresh potatoes, can be eaten hot or used in salads.
- Fruit, veggie sticks, rye crackers, oatcakes, unsalted almonds, and seeds are all good snacks.
- Add plenty of veggies to meals, either as a side dish/salad or as an ingredient in sauces, stews, or curries to encourage kids to eat more vegetables.
- Have a good supply of frozen vegetables on hand.
- Pulses such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas could be used in stews, curries, and salads.
- Trying out some fresh or canned fruit) natural juice for dessert or a snack
Coffee grounds fiber
Coffee production is predicted to generate about 23 million tons of trash per year worldwide, and this waste can be recycled in textiles by producing coffee fiber and fabric. Coffee grounds and recycled polyester are used as basic materials in the production of coffee fiber.
Some of the world’s largest coffee merchants, like Starbucks, provide the coffee grounds required to make the yarn. Here, the company gives coffee grounds a second life that would otherwise wind up in the trash.
Singtex Industries developed a method for turning coffee grounds into wearable textile-like yarn that could be transformed into fabric.
Singtex Industries Co., a world-renowned Taiwanese firm known for producing practical fabric, has successfully produced a new eco-friendly product using fiber made from coffee grounds waste.
Via extraction, grinding, processing, and wicking material development, Singtex Industries developed a way to repurpose coffee grounds previously considered as garbage.
This is utilized to make technological composite fibers that can be used in knitted and woven garments. Two T-shirts can be made from a single cup of coffee.
The following steps are involved in the production of coffee ground fiber:
- Coffee residue as a preparation material
- Coffee residue or raw material cleansing or sieving
- Removal of organic contents from coffee residue-covered material
- Preparation of carbonized particle
- Creating a mixture by mixing the material with the carbonized material.
- Creating a masterbatch by blending the mixture with the polyester chip in a 1:9 weight ratio.
- Yarn drawing from masterbatch
Characteristics of coffee fiber
Eco friendly
Cafe technology uses recovered coffee grounds that would otherwise end up in landfills thereby increasing coffee recycling and adding value to waste.
So, this technology doesn’t just covert coffee fiber into reusable materials, it, in turn, reduces waste matter in the environment which could cause biodegradation.
Quick Drying
The key benefit of cafe technology in coffee ground fiber is that it has a faster drying capability; this means it pushes moisture away from the skin and onto the outer surface of the fabric.
S cafe fabric dries up water from the body and evaporates it to the atmosphere; this is not a temporary fabric finish; it is a permanent characteristic that will never fade.
UV protection
Large microscopic pores in coffee grounds offer a long-lasting natural and chemical-free protection for fiber, yarn, or fabric, reflecting UV rays and providing a comfortable outdoor experience.
Controlling odors
Coffee granules the size of nanoparticles are permanently embedded in the fiber. The odor is further absorbed by the coffee granules. Furthermore, fabrics made of coffee fiber absorb odors produced by our bodies during the day.
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