The importance of fibre

You’ve heard about ‘fibre’, but do you really know what it is and why it is so important for our health?

Research shows that a high fibre diet can:

• Keep us feeling fuller for longer, which reduces feelings of hunger
• Keep our bowels regular
• Keep our bowels healthy
• Help lower cholesterol levels
• Help manage blood sugar levels
• Help prevent some forms of cancer  

What is fibre?

Dietary fibre is a part of plant foods that cannot be digested by the human body. It moves through our digestive tract helping to keep it clean and healthy.  

What foods contain fibre?

• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Legumes: e.g. lentils, chickpeas and beans
• Wholegrain bread
• Wholegrain breakfast cereals
• Grains: brown rice, barley, rye, wholemeal pasta
• Raw nuts: e.g. almonds, hazel nuts and brazil nuts
• Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds
• Linseed, Sunflower and Almond Meal (LSA)  

How much fibre should we be eating?

Adults should aim to consume at least 30g of fibre each day.

Tips for increasing fibre in your day:

• Avoid peeling the skin of fruits and vegetables
• Choose wholegrain bread in preference to white
• Choose wholemeal pasta and brown rice
• Choose fruit as a snack or dessert
• Choose whole fruit instead of fruit juice  
• Include breakfast – studies show that people who skip breakfast find it difficult to meet their fibre requirements
• Add nuts, seeds or LSA to your breakfast cereals and smoothies
• Add legumes to soups, salads, casseroles and dips

High fibre sample meal plan:

		Fibre content
Breakfast	½ cup untoasted muesli ¾ cup skim milk	6g
Morning Tea	1 cup fruit salad 30g raw almonds	5.5g 2.6g
Lunch	1 wholemeal wrap Lean chicken pieces ¼ avocado ¼ cup grated carrot ¼ cup sliced beetroot ¼ cup 4 bean mix	2.3g 1.1g 1g 3g
Afternoon Tea	4 wholegrain crackers with low-fat cheese	3g
Dinner	1 cup cooked wholemeal spaghetti ½ cup kidney beans added to Bolognese sauce 2 cups salad	8g 6g
Supper	1.5 cups banana smoothie 1 tbsp. LSA	2.3g 2g
Total fibre		42.8g

 

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Danielle Di Natale is an Accredited Practising Dietitian & Life! Program Facilitator.  Her next Life! session is commencing on Wednesday 11 January  at 6.30pm, Croydon Sports Injury & Spinal Clinic, 315 Mount Dandenong Road, Croydon VIC. 

To find out more information please call 13 RISK (13 74 75).

 

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