Reasons to Increase Your Fibre Intake - Rachel Kreider
Fibre may not be the sexiest part of your diet, but it’s one of the most important. Dietary fibre consists of the non-digestible carbohydrates, mostly from components of plants. The human body does not make the types of enzymes needed to break the bonds in these fibres, so they pass through the body relatively intact.
There are two types of fibre—soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre attracts water as you digest your food, and turns into a type of gel. You can get soluble fibre in oat bran, nuts, seeds, and beans (to name a few). Insoluble fibre is found in whole grains and green leafy vegetables. You need both types of this “roughage” for optimal health.
Whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables are examples of fiber-rich foods.
Haven’t been paying attention to how much fiber you get in your diet? Here are five reasons why you should!
Reason 1: Fibre Nourishes Your Microbiome
Your gastrointestinal tract is home to trillions of beneficial microbes (called the "gut microbiome”) that live in a symbiotic relationship with you. This means that you benefit them and they benefit you. Just like you, these microbes need to eat to live and grow, so they obtain nourishment from the undigested part of the food, (fibre), that is passing through your intestines by fermenting it. (I should point out that fibre that promotes the growth of the intestinal microbiome are called prebiotic fibres, and that not all fibres are considered prebiotic.)
A healthy gut microbiome can protect you against disease-causing bacteria because the good bacteria competes for space in the intestines, blocking the bad guys from taking hold. It can also help you absorb otherwise non-absorbable nutrients like certain antioxidant polyphenols, and produce vital micronutrients (like vitamin K5).
Scientists are just starting to understand the impact the microbiome can have on your overall health, and the next 10 years will surely reveal more information to support the power of the microbiome.
Reason 2: Fibre Keeps You Feeling Full Longer Between Meals
Because fibre is so difficult for your body to break down, it stays in your gastrointestinal tract longer compared to simple carbohydrates like table sugar. Having food in your system helps you feel full for longer. This is the reason some studies show high-fibre diets help you eat less, which can impact weight management. Fun fact: Research shows that this effect is compounded when fibre and protein are consumed together.
Reason 3: Fibre Supports Healthy Blood-Sugar Levels
Consuming a meal that’s mostly sugar or simple carbohydrates causes a tidal wave of sugar into your bloodstream. High-fibre meals, however, help slow the emptying of the stomach, resulting in a trickle of sugar into the bloodstream. A slower release of sugar into the blood helps maintain a constant energy stream, rather than energy peaks and lulls. So, eat whole grains, legumes, fruits, and veggies as your carbohydrate sources to support healthy blood glucose levels.
Reason 4: Fibre Supports Healthy Cholesterol Levels
Eating a diet high in fibre is associated with reduction of risk for cardiovascular disease, mostly because it helps to reduce “bad” cholesterol, aka low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Fibre—soluble fibre in particular—can support the reduction of “bad” LDL cholesterol without negatively impacting “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Soluble fibre can be found in foods like oats, barley, lentils, some fruits and vegetables, and psyllium fibre supplements.
Think of soluble fibre like a sponge, and dietary fat and cholesterol-carrying bile acids as liquid that you want to soak up and get rid of. The fibre soaks up particles the fat and bile acids from the intestines and holds on to them until they are excreted (in poop). So, the fibre not only helps to rid the body of dietary fat that can contribute to the cholesterol circulating in your blood, but it also helps to reduce your body’s production of cholesterol. Bile acids are particles involved in your body’s production of cholesterol (yes, you actually make cholesterol), so ridding the body of some bile acids with fibre can reduce the amount of cholesterol produced by your body—double win!
Reason 5: Fibre Makes You Have Better Poops
No, it’s not pretty, but let’s face it, they didn’t write a book called “Everyone Poops” for nothing. Pooping is a fact of life, but when it’s difficult to go, it’s really not fun.
Fibre helps you poop through several mechanisms that increase the weight of the stool, making it easier to pass. Insoluble fibre is the kind of fibre that does not absorb water (sources include: wheat bran, vegetables, or flax seeds). It adds physical bulk to the stool, making the stool larger. Believe it or not, the bacteria that are excreted with your stool also add bulk as well. Soluble fibres (sources include: oat bran and lentils) absorb water, softening the stool.
How Much Fibre Should I Eat?
The Institute of Medicine recommends that adult men consume 30-38g of fibre per day, and that adult women consume 21-25g of fibre per day for optimal health. The recommended intake for pregnant and lactating women is 28 and 29 g, respectively. The Daily Value for fibre, which is a more broad recommendation (for males and females age 4 and up), have recently been proposed to be increased from 25g to 28g, further highlighting the importance of fibre. A word of warning—if you have been consuming a super low fibre diet, increase your intake gradually (about 5 g per day). If you increase the fibre really dramatically, you may experience some unwanted gastrointestinal distress (gas, cramping, bloating).
How to Sneak Fibre Into Your Day
Fibre has been identified as a “nutrient of public health concern” according to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. This committee uses data from three sources to evaluate the diet quality of Americans (including data from NHANE’s What We Eat in America, the CDC’s Second National Report on Biochemical Indices of Diet and Nutrition in the U.S. Population, and other prevalence data from the CDC. Health statistics show that most Americans are not getting enough fibre, so it’s important for you to try to get more into your daily meal plan.
Here are some excellent options:
Fibre may not be the sexiest part of your diet, but it’s one of the most important. Dietary fibre consists of the non-digestible carbohydrates, mostly from components of plants. The human body does not make the types of enzymes needed to break the bonds in these fibres, so they pass through the body relatively intact.
There are two types of fibre—soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre attracts water as you digest your food, and turns into a type of gel. You can get soluble fibre in oat bran, nuts, seeds, and beans (to name a few). Insoluble fibre is found in whole grains and green leafy vegetables. You need both types of this “roughage” for optimal health.
Whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables are examples of fiber-rich foods.
Haven’t been paying attention to how much fiber you get in your diet? Here are five reasons why you should!
Reason 1: Fibre Nourishes Your Microbiome
Your gastrointestinal tract is home to trillions of beneficial microbes (called the "gut microbiome”) that live in a symbiotic relationship with you. This means that you benefit them and they benefit you. Just like you, these microbes need to eat to live and grow, so they obtain nourishment from the undigested part of the food, (fibre), that is passing through your intestines by fermenting it. (I should point out that fibre that promotes the growth of the intestinal microbiome are called prebiotic fibres, and that not all fibres are considered prebiotic.)
A healthy gut microbiome can protect you against disease-causing bacteria because the good bacteria competes for space in the intestines, blocking the bad guys from taking hold. It can also help you absorb otherwise non-absorbable nutrients like certain antioxidant polyphenols, and produce vital micronutrients (like vitamin K5).
Scientists are just starting to understand the impact the microbiome can have on your overall health, and the next 10 years will surely reveal more information to support the power of the microbiome.
Reason 2: Fibre Keeps You Feeling Full Longer Between Meals
Because fibre is so difficult for your body to break down, it stays in your gastrointestinal tract longer compared to simple carbohydrates like table sugar. Having food in your system helps you feel full for longer. This is the reason some studies show high-fibre diets help you eat less, which can impact weight management. Fun fact: Research shows that this effect is compounded when fibre and protein are consumed together.
Reason 3: Fibre Supports Healthy Blood-Sugar Levels
Consuming a meal that’s mostly sugar or simple carbohydrates causes a tidal wave of sugar into your bloodstream. High-fibre meals, however, help slow the emptying of the stomach, resulting in a trickle of sugar into the bloodstream. A slower release of sugar into the blood helps maintain a constant energy stream, rather than energy peaks and lulls. So, eat whole grains, legumes, fruits, and veggies as your carbohydrate sources to support healthy blood glucose levels.
Reason 4: Fibre Supports Healthy Cholesterol Levels
Eating a diet high in fibre is associated with reduction of risk for cardiovascular disease, mostly because it helps to reduce “bad” cholesterol, aka low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Fibre—soluble fibre in particular—can support the reduction of “bad” LDL cholesterol without negatively impacting “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Soluble fibre can be found in foods like oats, barley, lentils, some fruits and vegetables, and psyllium fibre supplements.
Think of soluble fibre like a sponge, and dietary fat and cholesterol-carrying bile acids as liquid that you want to soak up and get rid of. The fibre soaks up particles the fat and bile acids from the intestines and holds on to them until they are excreted (in poop). So, the fibre not only helps to rid the body of dietary fat that can contribute to the cholesterol circulating in your blood, but it also helps to reduce your body’s production of cholesterol. Bile acids are particles involved in your body’s production of cholesterol (yes, you actually make cholesterol), so ridding the body of some bile acids with fibre can reduce the amount of cholesterol produced by your body—double win!
Reason 5: Fibre Makes You Have Better Poops
No, it’s not pretty, but let’s face it, they didn’t write a book called “Everyone Poops” for nothing. Pooping is a fact of life, but when it’s difficult to go, it’s really not fun.
Fibre helps you poop through several mechanisms that increase the weight of the stool, making it easier to pass. Insoluble fibre is the kind of fibre that does not absorb water (sources include: wheat bran, vegetables, or flax seeds). It adds physical bulk to the stool, making the stool larger. Believe it or not, the bacteria that are excreted with your stool also add bulk as well. Soluble fibres (sources include: oat bran and lentils) absorb water, softening the stool.
How Much Fibre Should I Eat?
The Institute of Medicine recommends that adult men consume 30-38g of fibre per day, and that adult women consume 21-25g of fibre per day for optimal health. The recommended intake for pregnant and lactating women is 28 and 29 g, respectively. The Daily Value for fibre, which is a more broad recommendation (for males and females age 4 and up), have recently been proposed to be increased from 25g to 28g, further highlighting the importance of fibre. A word of warning—if you have been consuming a super low fibre diet, increase your intake gradually (about 5 g per day). If you increase the fibre really dramatically, you may experience some unwanted gastrointestinal distress (gas, cramping, bloating).
How to Sneak Fibre Into Your Day
Fibre has been identified as a “nutrient of public health concern” according to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. This committee uses data from three sources to evaluate the diet quality of Americans (including data from NHANE’s What We Eat in America, the CDC’s Second National Report on Biochemical Indices of Diet and Nutrition in the U.S. Population, and other prevalence data from the CDC. Health statistics show that most Americans are not getting enough fibre, so it’s important for you to try to get more into your daily meal plan.
Here are some excellent options:
- Fresh fruits: All fruits are great. Berries, figs, and pears are especially fibre-rich.
- Fresh vegetables: Roasted Brussels sprouts, artichokes, and turnips are excellent sources of fibre.
- Leafy Greens: Try spinach, kale, or collard greens sautéed in a drizzle of olive oil, tossed into your salad or blended into a smoothie. Leafy greens pack a punch of fibre plus vitamins and minerals.
- Legumes: A lightly dressed lentil salad is a great way to get your fibre, as are chickpeas and edamame. Potatoes are another excellent source of fibre, but make sure you eat the skin—that’s where most of the fibre lives.
- Whole Grains: By definition, a whole grain leaves the grain intact and includes the bran, germ and endosperm. Old fashioned oats, quinoa, or wheat berries are versatile, satisfying, and packed with fibre.
- Nuts and Seeds: Whether you prefer almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, or other types of nuts, you’re not only getting a healthy dose of fibre, but healthy fats, protein, and phytochemicals, too!
- Supplements: Greens + Vitality, Whole Food Shake, or Vegan Protein Snack Bars from Nourish + Bloom: These vegan, soy-free, gluten-free options are travel-sized and high in fibre.
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- 1 banana
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- 8-10 oz. water
- Handful frozen strawberries
- Handful frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 packet Nourish + Bloom Whole Food Shake (or 1 serving of your favourite vegan protein powder)
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