Fibre… What is Fibre and why is it so beneficial?
The main function of fibre is to keep the digestive system healthy and functioning properly. Fibre aids and speeds up the excretion of waste and toxins from the body, preventing them from sitting in the intestine or bowel for too long, which could cause a build-up and lead to several diseases.
Fibre is an important component of a healthy balanced diet. We get fibre from plant-based foods, but it’s not something the body can absorb.
This means that fibre itself, is not a nutrient and contains no calories or vitamins! (That does not mean that foods containing fibre have no calories as they are not pure fibre!!!)
- Fibre helps your digestive system to process food and absorbs nutrients.
- Fibre can help to lower blood cholesterol.
- Fibre makes you feel fuller and so helps to control your appetite.
There are two types of fibre: Insoluble and Soluble…
Insoluble Fibre
Insoluble fibre contains cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. It helps your bowel to pass food by making stools soft and bulky. This type of fibre helps prevents constipation.
Insoluble fibre is found in the following foods:
- beans
- brown rice
- fruits with edible seeds
- lentils
- pulses
- wheat bran
- wholegrain breads
- wholegrain cereals
- wholemeal breads
- wholemeal cereals
- wholemeal pasta
- whole wheat flour
Soluble Fibre
Soluble fibre contains gums and pectin. This type of fibre lowers cholesterol levels and controls blood sugar. It can be found in all fruit and vegetables, but the following are rich sources:
- apples
- barley
- citrus
- legumes
- oats
- pears
- Strawberries
Fibre is essential for bowel health, but be careful not to suddenly increasing your intake and overburden your digestive system.
You should only aim for a 5g increase over a 3-5 day period. Remember to drink plenty of water for it to be effective. If you suffer with constipation, you may need to increase your fibre intake. If you already regularly eat fibre, but still suffer with constipation, start to look and what type of fibre you eat. Try mixing it up between insoluble and soluble and don’t always eat the same foods!!
Eating a healthy diet that is rich in fibre, can have a positive effect on your overall health and wellbeing!! You can feel less bloated, and will remove toxins the natural way!!!
Aark Author: Lloyd Tilney