How does Dietary Fibre Maintain Our Health?

Dietary Fibre Maintain Our Health

Eat more Dietary fibre. You’ve probably heard it before. Do you know how beneficial is fibre for our health?

Dietary fibre—found primarily in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes—is best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. But foods high in fibre can also provide other health benefits, such as helping to maintain a healthy weight and reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

Choosing delicious foods that provide fibre isn’t difficult. Find out how much dietary fibre you need, the foods that contain it, and how to add it to meals and snacks.

What is dietary fibre?

Dietary fibre, also called roughage or bulk, includes the parts of plant food that your body cannot digest or absorb. Unlike other food components, such as fat, protein or carbohydrates—which your body breaks down and absorbs—fibre is not digested by your body. Instead, it passes through your stomach, small intestine, and large intestine and out of your body relatively intact.

Fibre is generally classified as soluble, which dissolves in water, or insoluble, which does not dissolve.

Soluble fibre

This form of fibre solubilizes in water to form a gel-like material. It can help to reduce blood saturated fatty acid and glucose levels. Sources of soluble fibre are oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.

Insoluble fibre

This type of fibre promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool volume, so it can be beneficial for those who struggle with constipation or irregular bowel movements. Whole wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans and vegetables, such as cabbage, green beans and potatoes, are good sources of insoluble fibre.

The quantity of soluble and insoluble fibre differs among different plant foods. To get the greatest health benefits, eat a variety of high-fibre foods.

Benefits of a High Fiber Diet

Foods high in fibre:

• Normalizes bowel movements. Fibre upsurges the weight and size of stools and softens them. A large stool is easier to pass, making you less likely to become constipated. If you have loose, watery stools, fibre can help solidify the stool as it absorbs water and adds bulk to the stool.
• Helps maintain intestinal health. A high-fibre diet can reduce your risk of developing haemorrhoids and small pouches (diverticular disease) in your colon. Studies have also shown that a high-fibre diet reduces the risk of colon cancer. Some fibre is fermented in the large intestine. Researchers are looking at how it may play a role in preventing colon diseases.
• Lowers cholesterol levels. Soluble fibre found in beans, oats, flaxseeds, and oat bran can help lower blood total cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein or “bad” cholesterol levels. Studies also show that high-fibre foods may have other benefits for heart health, such as lowering blood pressure and inflammation.
• Helps control blood sugar levels. In human beings with diabetes, fibre, particularly soluble fibre, can gradual sugar absorption and assist enhance blood sugar levels. A healthy diet that contains insoluble fibre may also lessen the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Helps maintain a healthy weight. High-fibre foods are more filling than low-fibre foods, so you’re likely to eat less and feel fuller for longer. Fibre Rich foods take longer to eat and are fewer “Calories,” meaning they contain low energy per serving.
• Helps you live longer. Studies show that increasing your dietary fibre intake — especially cereal fibre — is associated with a lower risk of dying from heart disease and all cancers.

Your best fibre choices

If you’re not getting enough fibre each day, you may need to increase your intake. Good choices include:

• Whole grain products
• fruit
• Vegetables
• Beans, peas and other legumes
• Nuts and seeds

 

Refined or processed foods — such as canned fruits and vegetables, pulp-free juices, white bread and pasta, and non-whole grain cereals — are low in fibre. The process of cleaning the grain removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, which reduces its fibre content. Fortified foods have some B vitamins and iron added back after processing, but not fibre.

Fibre supplements and fortified foods

Whole foods are usually better than fibre supplements. Fibre supplements – such as Metamucil, Citrucel and FiberCon – do not provide the variety of fibres, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients that food does.

Another way to get more fibre is to eat foods that contain fibre, such as cereal, granola bars, yoghurt, and ice cream. The additional fibre is often branded as “inulin” or “chicory root”. Some people complain of gas after eating foods high in fibre.

However, some people may still need a fibre supplement if dietary changes are not enough or if they have certain medical conditions, such as constipation, diarrhoea or irritable bowel syndrome.

Tips to fit in more fibre

Need any ideas for adding more fibre to your meals and snacks? Try these tips:

Start your day

Choose high-fibre snacks for breakfast — 5 or more grams of fibre a serving. Choose grains with “whole grain,” “bran” or “fibre” in the name. You can also add a few tablespoons of Wheat bran to your cereal.

Go for whole grains

Consume at least 1/2 of all grains as complete grains. Look for bread that lists whole wheat, whole wheat flour or another whole grain as the first ingredient on the label and contains at least 2 grams of dietary fibre.

Collect the baked goods

Replace 1/2 of or all the white flour with entire wheat flour whilst baking. Try adding crushed cereal, unprocessed wheat bran, or uncooked oatmeal to muffins, cakes, and cookies

Leaning on beans

Beans, peas and lentils are outstanding sources of fibre. Add kidney beans to preserved soups or green salads.

Eat more fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are ironic in fibre as well as vitamins and minerals. Eat five servings per day.

Count the snacks

Fresh fruit, raw vegetables, low-fat popcorn, and whole-grain crackers are all good choices. A handful of nuts or dried fruit is also a healthy, high-fibre snack – although be aware that nuts and dried fruit are high in calories.

Foods high in fibre are good for your health. But adding too much fibre too soon can promote intestinal gas, bloating and cramping. Gradually increase fibre in your diet over a few weeks. This permits the natural bacteria in your digestive system to regulate the change.

Also, drink plenty of water. Fibre works best when it absorbs water, making your stools softer and bulkier.