Most people know that fibre is essential for healthy bowel movements and to prevent constipation. However, did you know that dietary fibre provides many other health benefits including protection against heart disease and reducing your risk of diabetes? Despite its many benefits and the fact that fibre is commonly found in many fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, many people do not get the recommended 20-35 grams of dietary fibre daily.
Let’s explore why fibre is so important to living a long and healthy life and how to make sure we are getting enough of it. (Spoiler alert: it’s not fibre supplements!)
What is Fibre?
Fibre, also known as roughage, is that part of plant foods that our body is unable to digest. There are two types of fibre: insoluble fibre and soluble fibre. Insoluble fibre is found in foods such as nuts, carrots, brown rice and lentils, and absorbs water in the digestive tract, creating bulk, which allows your stool to pass more quickly. While soluble fibre, found in foods such as pears, black beans, sweet potatoes and broccoli, mixes with water and creates a gel-like substance which slows the absorption of sugar and lowers cholesterol.
Benefits of a High-Fibre Diet
Fibre is only found in plant foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Even if you do not follow a vegetarian lifestyle, there are many good reasons for including some high-fibre foods into your diet:
Protection against heart disease
Have you heard that oatmeal is good to lower cholesterol? It is the soluble fibre in oatmeal that studies have shown helps to reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol, high blood pressure and inflammation. All of these factors lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Gastrointestinal Health
The insoluble fibre adds weight to your stool making it more bulky and easier to pass, thus helping to prevent constipation, haemorrhoids and diverticulitis. In addition, the healthy bacteria in your digestive track feed on this fibre, keeping your microbiome healthy.
Reduce Risk of Diabetes
Fibre, particularly the soluble fibre, helps to regulate blood sugar by slowing the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream. This is important for managing diabetes and studies have shown that a healthy diet with sufficient fibre can reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
High fibre foods are more filling, which means you will feel satisfied even when you eat less. In addition, high-fibre foods are less energy dense so overall you will eat fewer calories when your diet includes high fibre foods particularly cruciferous vegetables and leafy greens.
Reduced Risk of Cancer
Studies have shown that eating a high-fibre diet reduces your risk of colorectal and other cancers, including breast cancer and prostate cancer.
Live Longer
Heart disease, diabetes and cancer are leading causes of death in Trinidad and Tobago and most of the world. Since eating a high-fibre reduces your risk of these chronic diseases, you naturally also cut your mortality risk. In fact, studies have shown that eating 10 grams of fibre a day decreases your risk of death by 10 per cent.
Ways to Get More Fibre
It may be tempting to just choose a fibre supplement to get your required dietary fibre, but these supplements lack the other vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that you will get from eating whole-food, plant-based sources of fibre. Here are some ways to get more fibre into your diet everyday:
Switch from processed foods to whole foods: One of the reasons many people do not get the recommended dietary fibre is because we are eating more processed and packaged foods in which the fibre is often removed. Switching from eating processed foods to whole foods, as close as possible to their original form, will increase your dietary fibre. For example, choosing steel cut or old-fashioned oats instead of breakfast cereals, cooking brown rice instead of white rice and eating ground provisions instead of French fries.
Eat legumes: Peas and beans are one of your best sources of fibre. You can swap your animal protein for some beans a few times a week or even just add as a complement to your meal.
Eat more fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are not only great sources of fibre, but also provide a number of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are important for the body. Aim to have a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Snack on nuts: If you are feeling snackish, nuts are a good option. Nuts are rich in protein, healthy fat and fibre, which keep you feeling satisfied longer.
If you need to increase your fibre, introduce high-fibre foods slowly so your digestive system has a chance to adapt to the additional roughage. It is also important to drink enough water to help the fibre to move through your digestive tract. Isn’t living a longer, healthier life worth it?
Kaylan Bartholmew
@SpiritedNatural
www.spiritednatural.com
kaylan@spiritednatural.com
Kaylan Bartholomew is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Yoga and Mindfulness Instructor. Through her company, Spirited Natural, she works with individuals and corporations to help her clients stay consistent with a healthy lifestyle, lose weight sustainably, boost their energy and feel balanced.