If your daily diet is full of processed food purchased from the middle of the supermarket – you know, aisle 2 through to 10 – then it’s probably lacking in fibre. Yes there will be some products boasting added fibre like cereal, but they’re more than likely heavily processed. But what exactly is fibre and how much do you need?
Fibre is an extremely important component of everyone’s diet. Primarily it promotes the optimal health and functioning of the gut, and we all want healthy guts! Fibre’s other big role is that it is critical to fat loss. Why? Firstly, because fibre does not have many calories, and you can fill up on fibre without having an overload of energy dense (read high calorie) food. Secondly fibre is filling and is absorbed slower than other foods, so it keeps you fuller for longer and therefore not eating more food!
You should be aiming for 20-30 grams of fibre in your diet every day.
I strongly believe that if you are empowered with a little bit of knowledge then you have no excuses not to make the right choices. So here is a little lesson in fibre!
There are two types of fibre.
1) Soluble Fibre. One of the major roles of soluble fibre is to lower blood cholesterol, and it also helps with constipation. Good sources are fruits, vegetables, oats, bran, barley, seed husks, flaxseed, psyllium, dried beans, lentils, peas, and fermented soy products.
2) Insoluble fibre adds bulk to faeces and prevents constipation and associated problems. Good sources include wheat bran, corn bran, rice bran, skins of fruits and vegetables.
If you want to make sure you’re getting enough fibre in your diet, be sure to include the following:
- Vegetables: the veggies with the highest fibre are broccoli, brussels sprouts, corn, onion, parsnip, peas, red cabbage, silver beet, spinach, swede, turnip, broad beans, haricot beans, kidney beans, other legumes etc. NOTE: Basically, ALL veggies are fabulous for fibre!
- Fruit: highest fibre sources include figs, pears, passion fruit, berries and all dried fruits. NOTE: Basically ALL fruits are fantastic for fibre!
- Whole grains, grain and rye breads and cereals
- Drink plenty of water with high fibre foods; increase one ..then increase the other!
A great way of getting your fibre needs is the 2/5 rule: 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of veggies every day, and make sure they’re nice and colourful!
Be Healthy Happy & Amazing!
Caroline x