A Brief Blurb on Fibre!

We often hear that foods high in fibre are good for us.  And they are! But what role does fibre pay in our diet, what are the benefits, how much is enough, and what foods are high in fibre content?

Simply stated, fibre is a carbohydrate found in plant material that cannot be digested by the body.  Fibre is a vital part of a healthy diet and are found in cereal, grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.  Because fibre passes through the body undigested, fibre adds zero calories.  Thats why choosing foods high in fibre can be advantageous when trying to manage weight. 

Fibre can be categorized into two distinct groups, soluble and insoluble.  Soluble fibre is converted into a gel like substance in the intestinal tract.  This gel like substance binds to liver bile, (liver bile is made from the body’s cholesterol).  Soluble fibre binds to the liver bile and removes it from the body.  This results in lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of colon cancer.  

Insoluble fibres differs in its ability to absorb water in the intestinal tract.  This is important for the digestion of your food.  Insoluble fibre gives your stool bulk and decreases the time for your stool to move through the digestive tract.  It helps you feel full and prompts regular bowl movements.  It is found in whole grain foods, whet bran, and the skins of fruits and vegetables. 

Increasing your fibre intake is easy! Simply switch from refined foods to whole wheat foods.  This may be hard for some of you, especially if you eat white rice and white bread.  However, what you must keep in mind, is that white foods (man made foods) have been striped of all their nutritional value and are poor choices of carbohydrates.  Choose unrefined foods such as 100% bran cereal, whole-wheat bread with germ, and brown rice.  

Canada’s food guide recommends making at least half your grain product servings be whole grain each day.  I however, would recommend making them all! Why would you put anything less then perfect into your body.  Refined foods have no place in our diet.  A healthy adult needs 21-38 grams of fibre a day (most adults only get 14 grams). 

Top tips to easily increase fibre 

1. Eat a high fiber cereal (Oatmeal is the gold standard breakfast)
2. Eat high fibre, whole grain breads, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta
3. Include lentils or cooked beans into your diet (add them to soup, casserole, or salad)
4. Eat more fruits and vegetables. 
5. Add dried fruit (not too much) nuts and seeds to your yogurt.