How much fibre should we be having?
Another edition of the understanding nutrients series, this time looking at fibre. You can find all the other nutrients covered here.
What is fibre?
Fibre, also known as roughage, is a type of carbohydrate
that we’re unable to properly digest. Other carbohydrates like sugars and
starches are broken down into glucose, but fibre isn’t and passes through our
body. Fibre is only found in plant foods.
Fibre is needed to help keep us regular and go to the
toilet, but it can also help lower the risk of other diseases. Eating more
fibre can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer,
and diabetes.
The recommended daily amount for adults is 30g of fibre a
day. But most people don’t get this much, with the average being around 19g a
day for adults in the UK.
Types of fibre:
There are 2 types of fibre, soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel like
substance. This helps to bulk up your stools, lower cholesterol, and lower
blood sugar levels. Sources include oats, beans, and lentils.
Insoluble fibre doesn’t dissolve in water but helps food
move through the digestive system. Sources include things like wholegrains, and vegetables.
Both are needed to help your health and the 30g daily amount
includes both of them.
Sources of fibre:
Fruit and veg, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, and beans/pulses
are all good sources of fibre.
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Here are some examples:
- 170g serving of brown pasta – 6.5g of fibre. To compare, 170g of white pasta has 3.7g of fibre
- 100g of sweet potato – 5g of fibre
- ½ a can of baked beans – 8g of fibre
- 20g of milled flaxseed - 5g of fibre
- A medium pear - 3.6g of fibre
- 30g of almonds – 3g of fibre
- 100g of carrots - 2.4g of fibre
Tips to increase your fibre intake:
30g of fibre a day can seem like a lot, but some simple
swaps can help you get there.
- Swap white pasta for wholemeal ‘brown’ pasta
- Swap white bread for brown or seeded bread
- Snack on nuts, seeds, or wholegrain crackers
- Add beans/lentils to your soups, stews, sauces, or casseroles. E.g., a tin of lentils can be added to your usual Bolognese sauce
- Have a side salad with lunch or dinner
- Leave the skin on vegetables like potatoes and carrots
- Swap to a wholegrain cereal for breakfast
- Add nuts and seeds to your breakfast cereal
Sample day of eating with 34g of fibre:
- Breakfast: 2 slices of seeded brown bread with strawberry jam and
peanut butter ∼ 6.5g of fibre
- Snack: popcorn ∼ 2g of fibre
- Lunch: chicken salad wrap made with a wholemeal tortilla and an
apple ∼ 9g of fibre
- Dinner: wholemeal penne pasta with beef and lentil Bolognese ∼ 14g of
fibre
- Afters: mixed berries with Greek yoghurt ∼ 3g of
fibre
Total ∼ 34.5g of fibre
I hope this gives you an idea of how to get more fibre in. I
also like to sprinkle milled flaxseed on yoghurt or salads as a way to add more
fibre without noticing!
Key points:
- Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that our bodies can’t digest.
- We need 30g of fibre a day to help us poo and lower the risk of some diseases.
- There are 2 types of fibre, soluble and insoluble. We need both in our diet.
- Fruit and veg, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, and beans/pulses are all good sources of fibre
- Some tips to increase your fibre intake include: swapping to wholegrain bread/pasta/rice, snacking on nuts/seeds or veg, and leaving the skin on vegetables.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post;
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Bye for now! 👋
References:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/
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