Summary
- This week we are focussing on how to add more fibre to your diet
- We cover the importance of consuming a minimally processed diet
- We speak about fluid intake in relation to fibre consumption and the physiology behind it all
- Practically, what does all of this mean in terms of food and daily habits?
“How do I add more fibre to my diet?”
When many of us hear the word ‘fibre’ we think of digestion, but fibre is so much more than that. To briefly recap from last week’s article on fibre, dietary fibre, which is also commonly known as ‘roughage’, is the part of food that we eat (predominantly from plants) that cannot be digested or absorbed by the body. In that article, we outlined the difference between the two types: soluble and insoluble. It is worth noting that people who consume a diet higher in fibre have been shown to have a significantly lower risk for developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases, compared to those with lower fibre intakes (Anderson, et al., 2009).
Reminder: The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for fibre intakes is 25 g daily for women and approximately 40 g for men (SACN, 2015).
This week I’ll be discussing what this means in terms of the food we eat and we can easily add more fibre our diet on a day to day basis. Worldwide, we have increased our consumption of processed and highly processed foods . This increase has led to a natural decrease in our fibre consumption (University of Otago, 2020). The role that fibre plays in gut health has been highlighted in the media and therefore, many companies have begun to highlight their products’ fibre content and continue to add more fibre into their products. We encourage you to be aware of this but also recommend that you opt for wholefoods like fruit and vegetables where possible. These foods are proven to be excellent sources of both soluble and insoluble fibre (Harshman, et al., 2019). In addition to this, by consuming a diet based around minimally processed whole foods and regularly consuming fruit and vegetables, meeting your RDA of fibre will come more easily to you.
The physiology behind it all:
Staying hydrated and drinking enough water should always be a top priority, and consuming a high fibre diet further increases that demand. For more information on the importance of hydration and tips on how to increase your fluid intake, take a look at this blog post.
In conjunction with consuming adequate fluid, fibre expands in our stomach and becomes gel-like. This helps us to feel fuller for longer, slows down gastric emptying and reduces spikes in blood sugar. It is important that we drink enough fluid to support this swelling and allow the fibre to pass through the digestive system without struggle.
Insoluble fibre draws water into the intestines which bulks up the food waste, helping to move it along the GI tract.
Insoluble fibre draws water into the intestines and so it is vital that we are consuming enough water for the fibre to swell and soften the ingested materials, improving our absorption of essential nutrients and making our stool easier to excrete. The majority of this absorption happens in the small intestine.
The large intestine is also known as the colon and this is part of the digestive tract that is responsible for processing chyme which is the indigestible food material that we have ingested. By consuming adequate fibre and water, it allows food to move through the intestines easier, reducing the chances of bloating, constipation, and other digestive issues (Lattimer, et al., 2010).
It is also worth noting that if you have not been consuming adequate fibre and are aiming to improve this, you should do this gradually and not all of a sudden. Increasing your fibre intake drastically can lead to GI issues such as bloating, excess wind and constipation. Another time to pay attention to your fibre intake may be around intense physical activity, check out our articles on Gastrointestinal Issues Part 1 and Part 2, for more information on this.
If you want to know more about fibre and its health benefits in greater detail, take a look at this article published by Anderson, et al.
Now that we know what fibre is, the benefits of eating it, how much we should be eating and how we digest it, we want to focus on what fibre means in terms of food and make some suggestions on how you can improve your fibre intake.
Including fibre in your diet doesn’t mean it has to be bland or boring. Many of our favourite foods are actually very good sources of fibre. To put this into context in terms of food, here are some examples of popular foods and their fibre content:
There are so many ways to increase the fibre content of a meal and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some tips we recommend to bump up your daily fibre intake:
– Begin your day with a high fibre breakfast, such as our Run Down the Stairs Overnight Oats or Tummy Loving Chia Pudding these will keep you full for longer and get your day off to the right start
– Add more fruit or vegetables you your meals
– Include plenty of vegetables with your meals, either a salad or roast veg are both good options
– Add pulses and vegetables where possible, such as to your curries, salads and sandwiches
– Choose whole, fresh fruits over fruit juices or smoothies
– Choose the whole grain option, i.e. wholewheat pasta, brown rice, brown bread, etc.
– Prepare your own homemade granola and protein bars to get you through the week
– Replace processed foods like chocolate and crisps with homemade alternatives, i.e chocolate nut bars or popcorn
– Leave the skin on fruit and vegetables where possible, ie. kiwis, apples, plums, potatoes, courgettes, aubergine
– Include a hearty soup or stew packed with vegetables and pulses (beans, peas, lentils), in your meal plan
– Add porridge oats instead of flour to your recipes where possible, ie. pancakes, bread, burgers
– Snack on nuts and seeds or add them to your meals, ie. yoghurts and salads
You can search for high fibre recipes using the filter on the recipe page. Click on a recipe and scroll to the bottom to get insights on its nutrient profile, including fibre content. We also have a variety of meal plans that are high in fibre, some of which are linked below.
Click here to view a similar recipe
Some other high fibre recipes to try out in order to help you to add more fibre to your diet:
Overnight Blueberry Pie Oatmeal
Contains 10.3g fibre per serving
Contains 17g fibre per serving
Energy Packed Mixed Potato & Shepherd’s Pie
Contains 11.4g fibre per serving
Ancient Grain Mixed Seed Salad
Contains 16.5g fibre per serving
Contains 26.5g fibre per serving
Meal Plan suggestions:
Cholesterol Boosting Dinner and Snacks
Boosting your Good Cholesterol 5 Day Plan
Straight Forward 3-Day 3000 Calorie Plan
2 Day Fuel Up Plan for a 85kg Athlete
For more information on fibre visit evidence based sources such as:
British Nutrition Foundation’s
References:
Anderson, J.W., Baird, P., Davis, R,H., Ferreri, Jr, S,. Knudtson, M., Koraym, A., Waters, V., Williams, C,L., 2009. Health benefits of dietary fiber, Nutrition Reviews, 67(4), p188–205.
Harshman, S. G., Wons, O., Rogers, M. S., Izquierdo, A. M., Holmes, T. M., Pulumo, R. L., Asanza, E., Eddy, K. T., Misra, M., Micali, N., Lawson, E. A., & Thomas, J. J., 2019. A Diet High in Processed Foods, Total Carbohydrates and Added Sugars, and Low in Vegetables and Protein Is Characteristic of Youth with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. Nutrients, 11(9), 2013.
Lattimer, J. M., & Haub, M. D., 2010. Effects of dietary fiber and its components on metabolic health. Nutrients, 2(12), p1266–1289.
SACN, 2015. Carbohydrates and Health [Online] p104-143. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445503/SACN_Carbohydrates_and_Health.pdf
University of Otago, 2020. “Higher fiber saves lives, but food processing may remove benefits.” ScienceDaily [Online] Available from: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200522113826.htm.
