Water constitutes:

 60% of an adult’s body weight and higher % of a

child’s.
 ¾ of the weight of lean tissue and less than ¼ of the
weight of fat.
 The proportion of water is generally smaller in
females, obese people and the elderly.
The water in the body fluids:
 Carries nutrients and waste products.
 Maintains the structure of large molecules.
 Participates in metabolic reactions.
 Serves as the solvent for minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and
many other small molecules.
 Acts as a lubricant and cushion around joints and inside the eyes, the
spinal cord and in pregnancy, the amniotic sac surrounding the fetus in
the womb.
 Aids in the regulation of normal body temperature.
 Maintain blood volume.
DIETARY FIBER (fibre)
 Components of plants that resist human digestive enzyme.
 Roughage, is the indigestible portion of plant foods having
two main components:

a) Soluble Fiber

b) Insoluble Fiber
 readily fermented in the colon into gases and physiologically
active by products.

 absorbs water to become a gelatinous, viscous substance and

is fermented by bacteria in the digestive tract.
 short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are produced when
soluble fiber is fermented.
 The major SCFA:
• butyrate
• propionate
• acetate
 Overall, SCFA affect major regulatory systems.
 Gum and mucilages

 Pectins

 Plylliuma

 Some hemicelluloses
 Metabolically inert, absorbing water throughout the

digestive system and easing defecation.

 Changing the nature of the contents of the

gastrointestinal tract.
 Lignins

 Psylliuma

 Resistant starch

 Many hemicelluloses
 The following foods are good sources of fiber:
 Whole grains (bran has the highest fiber content);
this includes breads and cereals, whole-grain
pastas, and brown rice
 Nuts and seeds
 Legumes (such as dried peas, beans, lentils)
 Fruits
 Vegetables
 When foods are processed, fiber is often removed.
Foods made from white flour (bleached or
unbleached) are poor sources of fiber, including white
breads, pizza crusts, and regular pasta. In general,
foods that are less processed are higher in fiber.

 Some high-fiber foods - such as some breakfast

cereals and convenience foods - are also high in sugar
and salt.
 Dietary fiber is found only in plant foods: fruits, vegetables,
nuts and grains
 Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables contain just as
much fiber as raw ones. Other types of processing, though,
may reduce fiber content. Drying and crushing, for example,
destroy the water-holding qualities of fiber.
 The removal of seeds, peels or hulls also reduces fiber
content. Whole tomatoes have more fiber than peeled
tomatoes, which have more than tomato juice. Likewise,
whole wheat bread contains more fiber than white bread.
Table 2 lists the dietary fiber content of some common foods
 Water forms a large part of most of the food we eat and all
the beverages we drink. The body is good at regulating its
own water content and tell us when we need more by
making us feel thirsty.
 This signal should not be ignored. Even better is to drink
enough fluids. Many foods that we eat contain water to some
extent and various fluids also add to the water intake of our
body.
 Milk, fruits and vegetables are also rich sources of water. So,
one should incorporate these foods to the diet as often as
possible. Our body is made up mostly of water and
approximately 85% of our brain, 80% of our blood and 70%
of our muscle comprises of water. Moreover, every cell in
our body needs water to live.
 The body uses of water for virtually al its functions:
• Digestion
• Absorption
• Circulation
• Excretion
• Transporting nutrients
• Building tissue
• Maintaining temperature
 Water carries nutrient to the cells and carries away
waste materials to the kidneys (excreted as urine).
 Needed in each step of the process of converting food
into energy and tissue.
 Important part of body lubricants.
 Helping to cushion the joints and internal organs;
keeping tissue in the eyes, lungs, and air passage
moist; surrounding and protecting the fetus during
pregnancy.
 Relieving constipation and hemorrhoids
• treatment and prevention of constipation, hemorrhoids
and diverticulitis.
• The primary function of insoluble fiber is to collect
water that increases stool bulk in the large intestine..
• Because stools are easier to pass, less straining is
necessary, and this can help relieve hemorrhoids.
 Lowering blood cholesterol levels.
 Water- soluble fiber stabilize blood sugar.
 Preventing certain diseases;

• Gallstones and kidney stones

• Diverticular disease
• Diabetes
• Cancer (especially colon cancer)
• Heart disease
• Obesity
 Keeping weight under control
• Foods high in fiber often require more chewing, so
a person is unable to eat a large number of calories
in a short amount of time.
• low in calories
• curb the desire to snack.
• slow the onset of hunger
Fiber has numerous effects in the large intestine:
 Fiber is attacked and broken down by the huge population
of bacteria that live in the colon.
 The breakdown products are acids and gases. This process
is called fermentation. Dietary fiber is only partly
fermented, because some plant cell walls resist bacterial
attack.
 The simple organic acids produced by fermentation are
mostly absorbed, and in doing so they nourish the lining of
the colon. They also provide fuel for the rest of the body,
especially the liver. This may have important consequences
for metabolism; half the calories in fiber are made
available to the body.
 The gases arising from fermentation soften and enlarge the
stool. They are also passed as wind (flatus) and can
contribute to bloated feelings in some people
Here is a summary of the actions of dietary fiber at different levels
of the digestive system:

Makes work, slows ingestion,

Mouth
cleans teeth

Dilutes contents, distends,

Stomach
prolongs retention of food

Dilutes contents, distends, slows

Small intestine
absorption

Dilutes, distends, feeds bacteria

Right colon
and so acidifies contents

Nourishes the colon, speeds up

Left colon
passage, lowers pressures

Softens and enlarges stool,

Rectum, anus prevents trauma to the body,
reduces strain of defecation
Dehydration
Heat stroke
Hypertension

Dehydration
•Water losses
•Heavy exercise
•Infants and the elderly are more at risk
Symptoms
 Thirst, fatigue, weakness, vague discomfort, loss
of appetite.
 Impaired physical performance, dry mouth,
reduction in urine, flushed skin, impatience,
apathy.
 Difficulty concentrating, headache, irritability,
sleepiness, impaired temperature regulation,
increased respiratory rate.
 Dizziness, spastic muscles, loss of balance,
delirium, exhaustion, collapse.
 Heat Stroke
• The body’s temperature regulation mechanisms fail.
• Humid environments.
• Rapid pulse, hot, dry skin, high body temp, weakness.
• Critical for athletes.

Hypertension
• a chronic condition characterized by high blood
pressure.
• May not show symptoms.
• Heart disease, stroke, kidney disease.
Fiber
 Soluble, Viscous, more fermentable
•High risk of Heart disease
•High risk of Diabetes

 Insoluble, Nonviscous, less fermentable

•Constipation
•High risk of diverticulosis, hemorrhoids and
appendicitis
•Problem in weight management
WATER
 A healthy person, should take at least 8 to 10 glasses
of water per day or equally to 2 liter of water per day.
 An adult should use thirst to determine their fluid
needs.
 When they feel thirst, they are actually already in
dehydration condition.
 The average fiber intake is about 5-14 grams.
 The current recommendation from the National
Academy of Sciences, institute of Medicine are to
achieve an adequate intake (AI) of fiber based on your
gender and age.
 Slowly added fiber to your diet and drink lots of fluid.
 Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per
day.
 Switch from white bread to whole-grain breads and
cereals. Switch from white rice to brown rice .
 Eat beans each week.
 Add one -fourth cup of wheat bran to foods, such as
cooked cereals, applesauce and meat loaf.
 As you increase your fiber intake, increase the amount
of water you drink.
 Age Fiber grams/day
19-20 years 38 g/d

31 to 50 years 38 g/d

51 to 70 years 30 g/d

70+ years 30 g/d

 Age Fiber grams/day
19 to 30 years 25 g/d

31 to 50 years 25 g/d

51 to 70 years 21 g/d

70+ years 21 g/d

 There are certainly many health benefits of
fiber but too much fiber can cause intestinal
discomfort, gas and diarrhea and possibly even
plug up the intestinal tract.