Fibre is the name of complex carbohydrates that are found in all plant based foods, these include fruit, vegetables, pulses and grains.
Fibre doesn’t get broken down in your small bowel like other foods. Instead it passes undigested to your large bowel. Once in the large bowel it helps to bulk up the waste and move it along the digestive tract to prevent amongst other things constipation. So, it’s a very important ingredient for your daily movement. The lack of fibre is connected with so many health issues, stroke, heart disease, colon cancer to name just a few.
Did you know:
1) Fibre can help you lose weight
2) Fibre can also help you maintain your weight over time
3) It helps to reduce your type 2 diabetes risk, studies have shown by eating 26grams a day it reduces your odds of the disease by 18%.
4) It reduces your odds of heart disease, for every 7 grams of fibre eaten daily, your risk of heart disease drops by 9 percent.
5) Healthier stomach bacteria, the good bugs that make up your microbiome, feed off fibre and flourish producing short-chain fatty acids, which are associated and contained in the Mediterranean diet.
6) Reduce your risk of certain cancers, every 10 grams of fibre is associated with a 10 percent reduced risk of Colon cancer.
7) It helps you live longer, a study at Harvard School of Public Health found that those eating fibre in their diet had a 17% reduced risk of death from any cause compared to those not having fibre.
8) Make’s you regular in going to the toilet, also helps to make your stools softer.
9) Natural detox, fibre transports anything harmful away quickly, such as mercury, BPA and pesticides.
Good sources of Fibre
· wholemeal and wholegrain breads, cereals and pasta
· peas, beans and lentils
· fruit and vegetables
· dried fruit
· nuts and seeds
How much do we need
· 30 grams a day is recommended.
Summary
The importance of fibre is overwhelming, with all its positive statement, but wonder how many of us are actually getting enough. If you should have too much then this can just lead to being a bit looser. Fibre really helps to cleanse the body at the end of the day.
Brett’s view:
With so many sources of fibre being available to us, it’s amazing that so many people still have fibre deficient diets, especially considering the benefits we derive from it.
David’s view:
Its amazing why more importance isn’t put on this, we have had the 5 fruits a day campaign, but don’t remember this being inter linked to gut health. I try to get my fruit and fibre in at the start of the day with a healthy breakfast, and normally pay a visit around 11am !