What's the fuss about fibre?
For as long as I can remember, fibre has always been touted as a healthful, and necessary part of the diet. Growing up with catchy Special K and All-Bran commercials in the 80’s and 90’s, where the slogans have been tactfully imprinted in my sub-conscious leaving a lasting impression. Not to mention the famous food pyramid we became so familiar with through PDHPE classes, and even found helpfully printed on the side of the beautifully coloured cereal boxes, where we were assured that eating 5 serves of grains each day and avoiding fats would keep up us healthy and strong (blah!)
My, how times have changed! How foods have changed! And, how research has changed! Now that we as consumers have increased access to information through the internet, this somewhat contradicting information that’s freely available to all can lead the everyday well-meaning consumer simply confused, and asking questions that I commonly hear in clinic such as; How many grains should I be eating? Where should I get my fibre from? How much fibre should I be eating? AND… the most common question these days, “I know fibre is supposed to be good for me, but why are all of these fibre-rich foods (grains) making me feel so bloated and far from healthy??
All valid questions, that the humble cereal box is not able to answer… yet! Lol.
Why is fibre so important?
The simple fact is, fibre is a very necessary and fundamental part of the diet (and I aim to discuss its health benefits), however, the commercial world has convinced us through smart advertising, and standardized food pyramids created for the mass population, to lead us to believe that the best way to attain enough fibre in our diets is to eat an un-naturally high amount of grains (which today, are mostly processed, genetically modified and so depleted from nutrients that they need to be fortified with synthetic vitamins and minerals) to prevent deficiencies.
How much do we need?
The good news is, fibre can be obtained from many natural whole food grains (not found in cereal boxes) and non-grain, gluten-free sources to attain its myriad of benefits, so nobody has to miss out.
The recommended dietary intake of fibre for adult men is 30g and 25g for women daily for the body to utilise the fibre effectively. Consuming levels below this recommendation would compromise many important processes in the body and eating more than this amount could also potentially cause harm such as nutrient deficiencies, constipation, intestinal blockages (seen recently in the USA) and metabolic and hormonal issues depending on the types of foods the fibre was derived from.
Health benefits beyond the gut
Western society has drilled into our heads by now that fibre helps to keep you regular and is good for gut health etc. And this is still very relevant and true. However, there are many benefits to daily fibre consumption that some still do not know about. And it all depends on the TYPE of fibre you are eating.
Soluble Fibre
Soluble fibre dissolves in water and gastrointestinal fluids when it enters the stomach and intestines. It is transformed into a gel-like substance, which is digested by bacteria in the large intestine, releasing gases and a few calories.It’s found in oats, psyllium husks, legumes (split peas, dried beans such as red kidney beans, baked beans and lentils), fruit, vegetables and seeds.
Benefits of soluble fibre:
Lowering fat absorption and helping weight management: As a thick, spread-out gel, soluble fibre blocks fats that would otherwise be digested and absorbed. It also fills you up keeping hunger at bay for longer.
Lowering cholesterol: Soluble fibre prevents some dietary cholesterol from being broken down and digested. Over time, soluble fibre can help lower cholesterol levels or the amount of free cholesterol in the blood.
Stabilizing blood sugar (glucose) levels: Just as it prevents fats from being absorbed, soluble fibre slows down the digestion rate of other nutrients, including simple carbohydrates (sugars). This means meals containing soluble fibre are less likely to cause sharp spikes in blood sugar levels and may prevent them.
Feeding healthy gut bacteria: Some soluble fibre-rich foods feed gut bacteria, as it is fermentable in the colon, and so it helps the bacteria thrive longer.
Insoluble Fibre
Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water or gastrointestinal fluids and remains more or less unchanged as it moves through the digestive tract. Because it is not digested at all, insoluble fibre is not a source of calories. It’s found in high fibre breads and cereals, the outer skins of fruit and vegetables, and in nuts and seeds.
Benefits of Insoluble fibre:
Helps keep you regular: As an indigestible material, insoluble fibre acts like an ‘intestinal broom’ and helps to sweep things along. Its presence speeds up the movement and processing of waste, helping prevent gastrointestinal blockage and constipation and increases regularity.
Lowering the risk of diverticular disease: By preventing constipation and intestinal blockages, insoluble fibre helps reduce the risk of developing small folds and haemorrhoids in the colon. It may also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
Fibre intake without the Pyriamid
Instead of following the standardised diet pyramid, I like to empower my clients with tools to help them make educated, individualized choices for their health. So, I encourage them to use the following website and measure their daily fibre intake to ensure they’re eating their daily requirement. (And high fibre foods choices don’t have to comprise of 5 serves of grains!) You can do this very easily too and teach your family and friends how to make these empowering, personal choices for your health!
Go to www.cronometer.com
(open a free account to measure all macros and nutrients, but in this case FIBRE!), enter the foods you eat to see if your fibre is sufficient or you need to increase it.
Easy tips to increase the fibre in you day!
Know which packaged foods are high in fibre by reading the nutrient panel on the pack. Minimally processed food with at least 7g fibre per serve is an excellent source.
Enjoy wholegrain, wholemeal or mixed grain toast, pasta instead of white.
Try brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice with casseroles or curries.
Try wholegrain or wholemeal crisp breads or brown rice cakes to snack on.
Increase your vegetable intake to 5 serves of vegetables a day. Snack on carrots, celery, broccoli with hummus or avocado
Replace some of your animal proteins with vegetable proteins a few times a week such as red kidney beans, legumes, chickpeas, black beans, navy beans etc. (Use half beef mince half beans in meat sauces).
Lastly, it’s important to drink water through the day, but especially when you are consuming healthy amounts of fibre. This will ensure “smooth sailing” of the fibre down your GIT and won’t cause any unwanted “bogged down” digestion.
As I regularly quote, “all health and disease begin in the gut”. Fibre maintains gut health, and as we can see, this rolls over to effect so many areas of our health.
Are you getting enough fibre today?
In health and love
Deena x