High Fibre Foods and Why They're Important to Our Diet

For the last 150 years, grains have become a staple of the diet in the Western world. This has come at the expense of fibre, which is now being consumed at chronically low levels by many people. 

An immediate result of lack of fibre in the diet is constipation. Apart from the discomfort that this brings, it also makes it extremely difficult to eliminate toxins from your body. 

Fibre is a form of carbohydrate. However, it cannot be digested by the body.

Two Types of Fibre

Fibre comes in two different forms – soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre can be found in the following foods . . .

• Oats

• Oat bran

• Dried beans

• Dried peas

• Nuts

• Barley flax

• Oranges

• Apples

• Carrots

Insoluble fibre is found in . . .

• Green beans

• Dark green leafy vegetables

• Fruit skins

• Root vegetable skins

• Whole-wheat products

• Seeds

• Nuts

Fibre Benefits

For optimal gut health, you need both types of fibre. The microflora in the gut is fermented in the small intestine. This produces short-chain fatty acids, such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate. 

Combining fibre and lean protein at every meal and at snack time will help you to maintain stable blood glucose levels. As a result, you will have a more steady supply of energy. However, when you consume refined carbs, your blood sugar levels will spike. This gives you an intense surge of energy, which is inevitably followed by a drop in energy that not only makes you feel lethargic but also causes a craving for more refined carbs to get your energy back. 

Fibre is a great way to keep yourself full. That is because it adds bulk to your diet without adding extra calories. Not only will it help you to feel full sooner, but, because it takes longer than other foods to move through your system, it will keep you full longer. 

When fibre fills up your stomach, it stimulates receptors that send messages to your brain that tell you to stop eating. 

Soluble fibre decreases enterohepatic recycling of bile acids which can decrease serum cholesterol levels. Insoluble fibre will add bulk to stools, while also decreasing colon cancer risk. 

An added benefit of soluble fibre is that, when it absorbs water, it forms a gel in the lower intestine. This slows the absorption of blood sugar. This, in turn, leads to lower insulin levels, which makes you less likely to store body fat.

Here’s how you will benefit from these adaptations:

• Increased satiety

• Lowered blood fat and cholesterol

• Reduced risk of colon cancer

• Proper intestinal motility

• Enhanced gut health

When it comes to fruits and vegetables, the majority of the fibre is found in the skin, membrane and seeds. That’s why you need to be eating fruits with the skin on. 

Summary

In order to benefit your gut health, you need to take in more than the daily recommended level of 25 grams of fibre each day. 

If you are a woman, aim for 35 grams per day.

If you are a man, aim for 48 grams per day.

Be sure to drink plenty of water when you eat fibre. You’ll need a minimum of eight glasses each day in order to keep the fibre moving through your system. Water, of course, also helps to keep you full.