Difference between bran and fiber

In the modern world, more and more people are realizing that healthy eating is not only a tribute to fashion, but also an absolute necessity. After all, our well-being, and therefore, vitality, depends on what we eat. Today, in almost every pharmacy, as well as in any supermarket that has a dietary nutrition department, you can find useful supplements on sale - bran and fiber. What is the difference between these products that manufacturers offer us? Let's try to figure it out.

Definition

Bran - a by-product that remains during the grinding of flour and represents the hard shells of the grain and the remains of unsorted flour.

Fiber - components of food, plant dietary fiber that are not digested in the human body, but at the same time benefit the intestinal microflora.

Comparison

Fiber is a dietary fiber that can be found in bran as well as vegetables, legumes, fruits and nuts. The walls of plant cells are built from fiber. Fiber is essential for the normal functioning of the microflora contained in our intestines. It promotes digestion, helps to create a feeling of fullness (especially if you first soak it in a little water).

Fiber is divided into soluble and insoluble. Interestingly, soluble fiber in the body turns into a jelly-like structure, which serves as an excellent breeding ground for beneficial bacteria. It is found in fruits, seaweed, legumes, flaxseed, oats, and barley. Insoluble fiber is a special ballast substance that is practically not digested by our body and leaves it unchanged, cleansing the intestinal walls like a good brush. It, unlike soluble, does not lend itself to fermentation by bacteria inhabiting the large intestine. Insoluble fiber is found in bran, in the skins of fruits and vegetables, or sold in pure form. In a simple way, you can call this fiber "husk", to which manufacturers sometimes add herbal or berry extracts for greater health.

Fiber's job is to shorten the time that food is in our gastrointestinal tract. After all, the longer the eaten is retained in the intestines, the more time it takes for the body to excrete it. Fiber significantly accelerates this process, simultaneously performing the functions of an adsorbent and helping to cleanse the intestines. With a sufficiently large volume that fiber takes up in the body, it has a very low calorie content - on average, only 35 kcal per 100 g

Refined foods are especially harmful to health - after processing, there is almost no fiber left in them. But fiber, naturally contained in vegetables and fruits, tends to break down with prolonged cooking and strong grinding. Therefore, the addition of pure fiber offered by manufacturers to dishes (especially in winter, when we have little plant food in our diet) helps to maintain the health of the stomach and intestines, and therefore the whole organism as a whole. Fiber does not harm the body, but it is enough to consume 30-40 g per day: an excess of fiber can contribute to bloating and discomfort.

Bran is the champion in insoluble fiber and is full of coarse dietary fiber in high concentration. It is one of the most affordable suppliers of fiber for our body. But in addition to fiber, bran also contains micro- and macroelements, vitamins, amino acids, a little starch. After all, bran consists not only of a grain shell, but also of flour residues and grain germs, which are incredibly useful.

25 grams of fiber equals approximately 30-35 grams of bran. That is, in order to fully saturate the body with the necessary dietary fiber, you need to eat more bran in volume.

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

  1. Bran - dense shells of grain, 75-80% of fiber. Fiber is a coarse fiber that is retained in plant foods, including bran.
  2. In addition to fiber (which is a complex carbohydrate), bran also contains other substances: fats, proteins, vitamins, trace elements.
  3. Bran is higher in calories than fiber. Bran contains an average of 250 kcal per 100 g, and fiber contains 35 kcal per 100 g.
  4. To obtain healthy dietary fiber, bran must be eaten by volume more than fiber.
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