Let's talk fibre!

Jul 13, 2024

4 min read

Author: Rachael Allen (Associate Registered Nutritionist)

title page showing fruit and vegetables — Dietary fibre

Dietary fibre is essential for overall health and wellbeing. The gut and the friendly bacteria that resides within are are hot topic amongst the general public, retailers and researchers.

Lets take a look at why, what and how or dietary fibre and hopefully break down some of the jargon and debunk the myth that you need expensive supplements to increase your gut diversity and health.

infographic of soluble and insoluble fibre — Why is fibre important

What is dietary fibre and why is it important?

Dietary fibre is a carbohydrate found in plants and passes the small intestine to be digested in the large intestine (1). The process of digestion of this fibre through fermentation by the gut bacteria produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), it is these SCFA which increase elimination of cholesterol from the body (2), helping the host to manage and reduce cholesterol along side their regular prescribed medication.

Resistant starches are a source of soluble fibre, they are fermented in our guts by the bacteria and produce SCFA, some sources are potatoes, bananas and pulses (3). Banana's are also a prebiotic, in simple terms, food for our good bacteria. Keep your eye out for our next blog post all about prebiotics and probiotics and the associated health benefits.

Soluble fibre from oats can form a gel like structure and aid digestion. There is also evidence that consuming soluble fibre which produce beta-glucan (gel forming fibres) slows down the digestive process consquently aiding blood sugar control due to a more gradual release of glucose into the blood stream (4).

Insoluble fibre from vegetables and nuts contain cellulose, these fibres are also feremented in the large intestine and pass the small intestine undigested. This type of fibre attracts water into the gut and promotes bowel health, regular passing of stool, supports immunity and increases gut bacteria diversity (3). It is important to stay well hydrated when increasing your dietary fibre intake due to insoluble fibre attracting water to the gut to form softer, easier to pass stools. Check the link for The Devon Nutrition Clinic's blog post on hydration.

30g recomendations — Fibre recommendations

How much dietary fibre do i need a day?

Adult needs at least 30g of fibre a day to take advantage of the associated health benefits dietary fibre. This fibre should come from both soluble and insoluble whole food sources (1,3). Whole food sources are benefical to the gut bacteria due to being more bioavailable to the bacteria and a less expensive. Whilst there are many fibre supplements available, be aware of clever marketing of expensive products promoting themselves as the golden bullet to better health, most are unneccessary and have little research to back up their nutritional and health claims. The Devon Nutrition Clinic is an ethical practice and promotes an evidence-based, food-first approach to it's patients. If you feel you require a fibre supplement always seek advice.

Interestingly, researchers have found that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes may be reduced by up to 19% when consuming 30 grams of fibre a day and in the studies with a high intake of cereal fibre there was a reduction in risk of up to 33% (4). The British Dietetic Association and NHS both advise that increased fibre intake lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and bowel cancer (4,5).

infographic showing ways to increase fibre intake — how to increase fibre

How can i increase my fibre intake?

Making dietary changes can be challenging, The Devon Nutrition Clinic believes that small, sustainable changes are essential for success. For this reason we can offer you easy ways to make changes to you dietary intake and habits to achieve your goals.

Increasing dietary fibre intake doesn't need to be difficult. Start by adding a side salad to meals with a sprinkle of mixed nuts and seeds. Chia seeds are tiny and really pack in the fibre, add them to your topped wholemeal toast in the morning or porridge with a handful of raspberries. Check out our receipe tab! Try to consume processed foods less often, processed food are convenient and can compliment a nutritionally balanced lifestyle. Choose wholemeal options when possible, such as pasta, bread and noodles and pack that 5 a day into you lunch and snack breaks. Sometimes fibre is hard to spot, so check the ingredient labels for chicory root or inulin - don't be scared of names on labels you havent heard before, sometimes they are sources of nutrients or names of vitamins.

A little word of caution, if you haven't consumed much fibre, don't worry, just introduce it slowly to avoid some possible symptoms such as bloating, gas and abdominal discomfort.

infographic soluble and insoluble sources of fibre — fibre

Where can i find fibre?

Fibre is in all fruits and vegetables, seeds, grains and pulses. These foods are also high in vitamins and minerals which provide other health benefits (1). When reading labels, foods with at least 3g of fibre per 100g of produce are labelled a source of fibre and foods with at least 6g of fibre per 100g are high in fibre (3).

In the UK the average fibre intake is 18g per day, approximately 60% of the recommendation of at least 30g of dietary fibre per day (3).

High fibre meal ideas!

We hope this image helps to show you how easy it can be to consume enough dietary fibre.

Please keep checking our recipes page for high fibre recipes.

Take home message

Dietary fibre can be increased successfully using a food first approach. Making simple sustainable changes to your shopping habits and meals means you will help you to reach the recommended 30g per day.

Was this blog post helpful? What would you like to see next? Please leave any comments, ideas or reflections below.

Please book your complimentary discovery call via the website for personalised evidence-based advice and support.

References