Boosting Fibre Intake: A Path to a Healthier You

Boosting your daily fibre intake should be on the mind of everyone who is trying to eat healthier. Dietary fibre is type of carbohydrate found in plant foods that the human body that cannot be broken down by digestion. Fibre is an essential part of a balanced diet with higher intakes being associated with a lower risk of heart and circulatory diseases, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Along with this fibre aids efficient bowl movements. For this reason, the fibre recommendations have been increased to 30g/day and with the majority of Australians consuming 20g per day, it is clear that we can all improve.

Read on the find out if and how you can hit these targets.

Fibre Types

First it is important to note that there are two different types of fibres which carry out different roles in the body; and incorporating both types in the diet is important. When you are looking in to boosting your fibre intake, you should always be aware of the ways in which you can consume it.

Soluble Fibre

Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel like substance in the digestive tract. This type of fibre helps to keep stools soft which may help prevent or treat constipation. By binding to cholesterol molecules and preventing them from being absorbed, this type of fibre can help to lower cholesterol levels. It also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels by slowing the digestion and absorption of sugars.

Oats are one of the best sources of soluble fibre. Other great sources include legumes such as beans, lentils and chickpeas.

Fruits such as:

• apples (especially with the skin)
• pears
• oranges
• berries such as strawberries and blueberries and
• bananas are also easy sources of soluble fibre to add to the diet.

Certain vegetables such as:

• carrots
• Brussels sprouts
• broccoli
• sweet potatoes and
• squash are excellent choices

Seeds such as flaxseed and chia seeds barley and nuts may also be added to the diet to increase soluble fibre intake.

Insoluble fibre

Insoluble fibre is probably what you think of fibre. It does not dissolve in water and adds bulk to the stool. This aids to promote regular bowel movements and prevent constipation. It also helps to maintain a healthy gut by providing beneficial gut bacteria.

Foods rich in insoluble fibre include:

• wholegrains such as whole wheat, brown rice and quinoa
• vegetables such as broccoli and spinach and
• the skins of fruits such as apples, pears, grapes or kiwis.

How much fibre is in food – areas for boosting fibre intake

1/2 avocado = 6g

Fibre one or equivalent = 5.5g

1/2 cup of raspberries = 4g

1 tablespoon chia seeds = 5g

Handful of almonds = 3.5g

Cobbs popcorn pack = 1.1g

Rolled oats 50g = 5.1g

Banana = 3.1g

Kiwi = 2.1g

2x Wholemeal bread= 4.76g

Wholemeal pasta = 8.85g

Cup of broccoli = 2.2g

1 cup of chickpeas = 10g

¾ cup of bran flakes = 5g

1 apple = 4g

1 tablespoon flaxseed = 3g

Sweet potato 1 cup = 4g

Raw carrot = 1.7g

Passionfruit = 4.6g

In Summary

If you look to incorporate every meal with a variety of colour, along with whole grains for your starch – hitting the fibre dietary targets should be easy! Boosting your daily fibre intake does not have to be too hard. Snacking on raw carrots/ popcorn/ fibre ones / bananas / nuts/ and other fruits and veg will also help you to hit those targets.

Further adding high fibre foods such as seeds and legumes to meals and snacks will help you stay on track. It is important however that if you are planning to increase your fibre intake that you slowly increase fibre to avoid any negative health outcomes.

A sudden switch from a low fibre to high fibre diet may result in abdominal pain or increased flatulence. Along with this, water intake should be kept high to prevent digestive discomfort and to aid the effective functioning of fibre.