Dietary Fibre is Important
Dietary fibre is one of the most important components of a
healthy diet. This discovery goes back to 450 BC when Hippocrates
stated:
“ To the human body it makes a great difference whether
the bread be made of fine flour or coarse, whether of the wheat
with
the bran or the wheat without the bran.”
Scientific
studies continue to produce new evidence to support the need
for increased fibre in our diet.
Dr Dennis Gordon, a researcher in nutrition and dietary
fibre at North Dakota State University, notes that it is
easy to increase fibre intake and it is vital to good health:
“ There are many diseases or disorders frequently related to
inadequate consumption of dietary fibre. These diseases include
cancer of the colon, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, diverticulosis
and constipation.”
What is Dietary Fibre?
Dietary fibre is found only in plants. Good sources include:
Whole grains
Vegetables
Fruit
Nuts and Seeds
It is important to note that meat, fish, poultry and
dairy products, oils and sugar do not contain dietary
fibre.
There are different types of dietary fibre, soluble and
insoluble, both with very definite health benefits.
Soluble and Insoluble Fibre
Simply put soluble fibres are those that dissolve in hot
water. They consist of pectins, gums and some hemicelluloses.
Insoluble fibres do not dissolve in hot water and consist
of cellulose, lignin and some hemicelluloses.
The largest amount of fibre in our diet is soluble. This
type of fibre provides texture to fruits, vegetables and
cereals and acts as a natural thickening agent in foods.
For example, you could add beans to curry to thicken it.
Good food sources of soluble fibre are:
Oats
Barley
Dried Peas and Beans (legumes)
Some fruit and vegetables
Food sources of insoluble fibre include:
Whole grain and
whole wheat foods such as whole grain bread, whole wheat
cereal and brown rice
Wheat bran
Nuts
Seeds
Some vegetables
Benefits of Dietary Fibre
Soluble fibre traps fatty substances in the intestines thereby
helping to prevent their absorption in the body. This is
likely the reason that soluble fibre helps lower blood
cholesterol levels. Soluble fibre also has beneficial effects
on blood glucose levels. These effects reduce the risk
of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Insoluble fibre has been shown to be effective in reducing
the risk of colon cancer preventing diverticular disease
and treating constipation. The combined actions of soluble
and insoluble fibre are important in maintaining a healthy
population of bacteria in the large intestine.
How Much Dietary Fibre?
It is acknowledged that we generally do not eat enough
fibre, and that people who eat a fibre-rich diet tend
to eat less
fat and more starchy foods, fruit and vegetables.
The McKinley Health Resource Centre quotes experts as recommending:
“
a dietary fibre intake in the range of 20 -35 grams/day for
the healthy adult. The average American consumes between
10 – 20 grams/day – well below the current recommendations.”
A
word of caution is given. Dietary fibre should be added gradually
to the diet allowing the body to adjust to the
higher intake. This will avoid gas, diarrhoea and bloating
and poor absorption of some nutrients such as iron. It is
also recommended that you drink plenty of water, at least
eight glasses a day, as fibre draws water into the intestines.
