A wonderful and often misunderstood tool in the health box is FIBRE.
Whether you’re dieting or not – it is a must have purely for health.
I recently touched on this in both the socials and in a talk I gave at an event, which was all about ‘future proofing your body’.
According to studies, we do not get the required amount of fibre in our diet – optimal would be around 30g per day, and we’re only managing around 18g.
Fibre keeps our digestive system healthy, and in good working order.
It regulates our blood sugar, , and helps keep you fuller for longer. Now if you’re anything like me that’s a must have as if I’m not feeling full enough – it’s off to snackville and trying to find random food in the cupboard or fridge (and sometimes it’s not the most nutritious stuff that I’ll find!)
But not only is it a great tool for keeping you fuller – which in turn helps with needless weight gain – for every 8g increase in daily intake, we reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 15%, heart disease by 19% and colon cancer by 80%. Oooooft as they say.
There are 2 types of fibre – soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance that helps to slow down digestion. Insoluble fibre, on the other hand, does not dissolve in water and adds bulk to our poo, helping to keep our digestive system regular.
So it’s the soluble fibre that keeps you fuller for longer, as it slows down digestion, but also as well as all the other wonderful stuff it reduces the absorption of Cholesterol in the bloodstream, therefore reducing the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood circulation.
But the insoluble is just as important!
Don’t go mental though and start loading it into your diet – loads all of a sudden may result in a sudden need to go to the toilet, as well as bloating and wind… Do it gradually and you’ll reap the benefits.
‘So where do I get this amazing fibre?’ I hear you ask!
Wholegrains, beans and legumes (peas), the pulp and the skins of fruit and veg, pulses, seeds, nuts, wheat bran, oats.
Making simple wee swaps in your diet can help up the intake - whole-wheat pasta/bread/rice instead of white
⁃ adding more fruit in to your day
⁃ adding nuts/fruit to your breakfast
⁃ eating the skin on carrots and tatties
⁃ using more beans and pulses (think lentils) in dishes even if you’re not replacing anything, just add them in!
So there you have it, I hope you’ve enjoyed this fibre 101
Get it down you, reduce your risk of chronic disease, future proof your body!