Positive Health Online

From social media posts to the latest gut health research, fibre is having a much deserved moment in the wellness spotlight. It has had other fleeting, moments in the limelight, for example the hugely popular F Plan diet in 1980s, for those of us old enough to remember! However, this time it seems fibre is finally being taken seriously as a critical pillar of long term health.

Fibre (or roughage as it is sometimes called) is not a nutrient. It is a type of carbohydrate. But, unlike other carbohydrates, fibre is not digested by your body. It is this inability to be digested that actually provides many of the benefits.

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Tracking your fibre intake will pay dividends for your health. Here are some reasons to include more fibre in your diet:

• It is fermented by the bacteria in your colon into substances called short chain fatty acids which keep your intestines healthy;
• It helps prevent constipation. Fibre absorbs water in your intestines and becomes gel-like. This softens and bulks out your poo and helps it pass through your intestines more quickly. This keeps your intestines healthy which is important as research is increasingly showing that gut health is foundational to overall good mental and physical health;
• It slows down the time it takes for your stomach to empty. This means the sugar in the foods you eat is released and absorbed by your body more slowly. Your blood sugar levels will be more stable through the day. This helps reduce hunger and cravings for sweet foods, which lead to weight gain around your middle.

An important review study in 2018 found that people who ate more fibre had a reduced likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5883628/

Because fibre makes you feel fuller for longer, it can help with weight loss https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5883628/

• It speeds up the removal of waste through your intestines and out of your body, helping to keep your gut environment healthy;
• It reduces cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5731843/ ;
• It helps prevent some types of cancer such as bowel cancer https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11894-019-0725-2

How Much Fibre do you Need?

Government guidance in the UK is to eat 30g fibre every day. Most people only achieve on average, about 18g fibre daily. With the popularity of low carb diets, hitting your fibre quota can be even more of a challenge. Nuts, avocado and chia seeds are good lower carb options.

There are two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble. They each have different benefits and it’s best to eat a mixture of the two. Most plant foods contain both soluble and insoluble fibre, in varying proportions according to the type of plant.

Fibre Content of Foods

[amounts of fibre are approximate and per average portion of food]

• • Apple: 2g
  • Banana: 1g
  • Oranges: 3g
  • Berries; 7g
  • Whole avocado: 14g
  • Carrots: 2g
  • Spinach: 2g
  • Peas; 3g
  • Broccoli: 2g
  • Brown rice: 1g
  • Jacket potato with skin: 5g
  • Baked beans 5g:
  • 2 teaspoons Chia seeds (soak for best effect):
  • Half a tin of Chickpeas: 7g
  • Half a tin of kidney beans: 9g
  • Mixed nuts: 3g
  • Slice of sourdough 100 percent rye bread 4g:
  • Slice of German vacuum packed flat rye bread: 7g
  • Quinoa: 6g
  • Porridge: 3g
  • Muesli:  3g – 2 tablespoons flaxseed 4g
  • Oatcake: 1g

Easy Ways to Increase Fibre  

• Have fresh fruit readily available to snack on;
• Smoothies are a great way to pack in all sorts of fibre. Fresh or frozen berries, oats, seeds or nuts all blend well with yoghurt;
• Snack on Ryvita or oatcakes spread with ripe avocado or nut butter;
• Sprinkle milled flaxseeds onto yoghurt;
• Get more vegetable fibre into your diet by snacking on raw veg sticks and hummus (which is also a source of fibre);
• Porridge is a great fibre filled breakfast – adding fruit and ground almonds, ground seeds or desiccated coconut increases the fibre content further;
• Replace any white carbohydrates (rice, pasta, bread etc.) with the wholegrain versions;
• Grab a handful of unsalted nuts as a snack;
• Eat some beans or lentils – these can be in a salad or as a side dish with meat or fish.
• Trying more vegetarian main meals when eating out or recipes at home will increase the amount of vegetables you eat and in a more flavourful way than simply adding portions of steamed veg to your meal!

A Few Cautions

Fibre is very good for you but depending upon your individual situation, it can also potentially cause you problems. If you start adding more fibre to your diet and find that you get diarrhoea, bloating, gas or pain, you may need to reduce the amount of fibre you are eating. Always increase fibre gradually to give your system time to adjust. 

Each person is different when it comes to fibre. Whether or not you tolerate a particular type or amount of fibre is influenced by factors such as your gut bacteria, your overall health, any medical conditions you may have, the way your body reacts to certain foods and how robust your digestive system is.

You may need to try different types of fibre to find out how your digestive system reacts.

If you suffer from IBS, wheat fibre (particularly from wheat bran) may make your symptoms worse. Beans and lentils may cause you excess flatulence and/or bloating. Tough skins such as tomato, grape or cucumber may also be a problem.

Make sure you drink plenty of water when eating more fibre. You may need to seek the advice of a nutritional therapist to help you work out how to get your daily fibre quotient and keep your gut calm at the same time.