Why do we need dietry fibre?

We at Nutrition Mission believe that the gut is the seat of all health which means that we are huge fans of fibre. Fibre, also known as roughage, is the indigestible content found exclusively in plant foods. Animal foods do not contain any fibre which means that the average Western diet is lacking in fibre.

There are 2 types of fibre - soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fibre, meaning that it will dissolve in water:

• Bulks out stools pressing against the wall of the digestive tract which stimulates and encourages peristalsis - the term used to describe the movement of food through the digestive tract.
• Helps to slow down the rate at which glucose is absorbed into the blood stream thus it helps to stabilise blood sugar levels.
• Acts as a prebiotic - feeding your guts good bacterium which keeps your intestinal tract healthy.

Examples of soluble fibre include; legumes (peas and beans), oats, rye and barley, plums, berries, bananas, apples, pears, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes and onions along with psyllium husk.

Insoluble fibre:

• Absorbs water as it passes through the digestive system which makes your faeces softer and easier to pass.
• Changes how nutrients and chemicals are absorbed in the small intestine.

Examples of insoluble fibre include; wholegrain foods, wheat, nuts and seeds, the skins of potatoes and sweet potatoes, green beans, cauliflower, courgette, celery, avocado, tomatoes (and their skins) and bananas.

The recommended daily fibre requirement for the average adult is 18g.

A word of caution though: if you increase your fibre intake from a relatively low level, it is best to do so gradually. This is because a sudden increase may produce flatulence, bloating and stomach cramps. A gradual increase will avoid this problem. You should make sure that you are getting your daily requirement of filtered water, too - if you don't you could make yourself constipated as the insoluble fibre does its job.

By making sure that you enjoy an abundance of plant foods in your diet every day you can be certain of getting a good intake of fibre, and better health.