The Importance of Fibre
Are you getting enough fibre?
Fibre is one of the most important nutrients in the diet and most people do not get enough.
The Recommended Daily Intake of fibre is:
25g for women
30g for men
What does fibre actually do?
Fibre plays many important roles in the body:
Regulates digestion. Adequate fibre ensures that the bowels are moving regularly, keeping them healthy and helping to prevent constipation.
Supports gut health. The fibre in our diet feeds the good bacteria that live in the gut and make up our microbiome.
Supports heart health and lowers cholesterol. Adequate fibre can help to eliminate cholesterol from the body.
Fibre increases satiety. It slows digestion, meaning that it keeps you fuller for longer.
Assists with weight management. Fills you up, reducing the need to snack.
Reduces the risk of colorectal cancer.
However, not all fibre is created equal.
There are three main types of fibre in the diet.
1. Soluble Fibre
Soluble fibre is fibre containing foods that dissolve or ‘take on water’ and form a gel like substance. Soluble fibre will draw moisture into the digestive tract, if needed, and slows digestion.
Soluble fibre can help to stabilise blood sugar levels, it binds cholesterol in the digestive tract, lowering cholesterol, and increases satiety.
Foods that contain soluble fibre, include:
Oats, chia seeds, flesh of fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes and lentils
2. Insoluble Fibre
Insoluble fibre is the roughage in the diet and adds bulk to the stool. It does not dissolve in water and helps food to move through the digestive tract, helping to prevent constipation.
Foods that contain insoluble fibre, include:
Skin of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, cruciferous vegetables, wholegrains
3. Resistant Starch:
Resistant starch is a type of fibre that resists digestion. It passes through the digestive tract, undigested and into the large bowel and provides a source of food for the good bacteria that make up the microbiome
Some foods naturally contain resistant starch, such as unripe bananas, legumes, wholegrains (oats, brown rice and barley), cashews and peanuts
Whereas resistant starch is created in a lot of foods during the cooking process. When cooked and cooled, the starch structure of rice, pasta, potatoes and other grains changes, increasing the amount of resistant starch. Once these foods are re-heated, the higher amount of resistant starch remains.
What about prebiotics and probiotics?
Probiotics are the good bacteria that make up the microbiome. Probiotics are found in a range of everyday foods, such as yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and tempeh. Consuming these foods regularly can contribute these specific strains to the microbiome.
Prebiotics, on the other hand, are the food that nourish, and act as a food source for the good bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics are a type of plant fibre that are digested by the body and pass into the large intestine and ferment. This fermentation process produces short chain fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation in the body.
Food sources of prebiotics include:
Onion, garlic, asparagus, leek, legumes, sweet potato, wholegrains, cashews, walnuts and flaxseeds.
In summary, dietary fibre is something we all should be eating more of. Aiming to meet the RDI for fibre daily, by spacing it evenly across meals and snacks is the best way to consume fibre and will minimise any gastric upset or discomfort. Aim to include a variety of different types of fibre by eating a range of fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds.