The Real Superfood

By EP Dietetics

4:22pm, Wednesday 9 March 2016

Fibre

Talk to most dietitians and they will tell you they have a slight obsession with fibre. Seriously. Obsessed because we know how good it is for us!

So what is fibre?

It is composed of the indigestible parts of plants that pass relatively unchanged through our stomach and intestines.

What's the big deal?

The old 'keeps you regular' part is true, with fibre being crucial for bowel health. Although, fibre is also terrific at;

-improving blood cholesterol levels

-improving blood sugar levels

-managing weight, by keeping us feeling fuller for longer

By not including enough fibre in your diet, there is an increased risk of;

-bowel issues (constipation, haemorrhoids, IBS, diverticulitis)

-overweight and obesity

-diabetes

-heart disease

-some cancers

When you consider how simple it can be to increase fibre intake, a lot of these issues can be avoided.

In practice i see so many clients who don't include enough fibre in their diets. I also see clients on a daily basis who struggle with getting their bowels 'sorted out', who have put themselves on all sorts of restrictive diets to get to the bottom of their bowel issues. Many times, going back to basics and working on fibre intake can actually have really positive results. With a bit of knowledge about sources of fibre and a few easy swaps in the diet, reaching your fibre intake is a breeze. 

Sources of fibre

It is important to know that there are different types of fibre- soluble, insoluble and resistant starch, and you should include a combination of all of these in your regular healthy eating plan.

Soluble- helps to lower blood cholesterol levels, improve blood sugar control and is great for bowel health. Found in lentils, legumes, oats, barley, rice bran, psyllium husks, flesh of fruits and vegetables.

Insoluble- is also great for bowel health, helps to improve and maintain bowel regularity. Found in wheat bran, wholegrain breads/cereals, nuts and seeds, fruit and vegetable skin.

Resistant starch- pre-biotic fibre (production of good bacteria) and improves blood sugar control. Found in cooked and cooled potato (yep, the humble little potato isn't that bad after all!) and cooked and cooled grains (sushi, rice/quinoa/pasta in salads).

Practical ways to increase fibre

-Aim for 2 and 5 (2 fruit per day and 5 serves of vegetables).

-Eat whole fruit instead of drinking juice.

-Add legumes, lentils or barley to soup, casseroles, pasta sauce and salads.

-Use low fat hummus or tahini as a spread, instead of margarine.

-Try adding oats, unprocessed bran, psyllium husks or LSA  to your usual breakfast cereal or smoothies.

-Choose wholegrain breads and cereals.

-Choose a small handful of nuts or seeds as a snack, instead of a processed muesli bar.

-Add cooked and cooled potato/pasta/rice to your salads.

-Check the nutrition information panel on food labels, aim for more than 8g/100g fibre.

How much is enough?

If you are not sure if your including enough fibre, use the handy table below to add it up.

REMEMBER! When increasing fibre, go slow! Introducing too much fibre, too quickly, can lead to bloating, flatulence, constipation or increased frequency of bowel movements. Don't forget to include 2 litres water per day as well.

As a guide;

Women: aim for 25g fibre/day

Men: aim for 30g fibre/day

Little people: Age + 5 rule (add 5 to their age to work out the amount of fibre they should be eating, e.g. an 8 year old + 5= 13g fibre/day).

Add your fibre up and let me know how you go!

Food source

Quantity

Fibre (g)

Wholemeal grain bread

1 slice

2.5g

Wholemeal bread

1 slice

2.0g

White bread

1 slice

1.0g

All Bran

40g

11.5g

Oats (uncooked)

1/2cup

4.0g

Cornflakes

1 cup

1.0g

Brown rice

1 cup

3.0g

White rice

1 cup

1.5g

Wholemeal pasta

1 cup

8.5g

White pasta

1 cup

3.0g

Vitawheat crackers

4 biscuits

2.8g

Rice cakes

2 cakes

0.5g

SAO's

3 biscuits

0.5g

Apple

1 medium

3.0g

Prune

6

4.5g

Banana

1 small

2.5g

Grapes

100g

1.0g

Potato (no skin)

100g

1.0g

Broccoli

100g

4.0g

Corn of cob

150g

5.0g

Salad

1 cup

1.0-2.0g

Baked beans

110g

5.0g

Peanut butter

1 Tbsp

2 .0g

Peanuts

30g

2.5g

Almonds

30g

4.3g

Popcorn

1 cup

1.0g

If you feel like you still need some help increasing fibre or with improving any aspects of your current eating plan, contact one of our friendly dietitians for more specific advice. 

Take a look at our recipes for some high fibre ideas!

Updated 3:23pm, Wednesday 9 March 2016

Latest from the blog