What is fibre?

Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t break down or digest, and it passes through the digestive tract relatively intact. Although it is not necessarily used as a fuel source for energy and repair in the body, it is essential for health.

There are two types of fibre found in foods, with many foods containing a combination of both:

Soluble fibre dissolves in water and includes foods such as oats, beans, legumes, and apples

Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water and instead helps to add bulk to stools, it is found in foods such as carrots, brown rice, and nuts       

Benefits of fibre

Fibre is vital for healthy digestion, cardiovascular health, blood sugar balance, and it also helps with weight management.

Gut health 

Fibre in the diet is vital for promoting regular bowel movements and preventing constipation. Fibre should come primarily from wholefoods, including fruits, veggies, and wholegrains where possible, rather than the ‘high fibre’ cereals and fibre bars you see in the supermarket, as these are often laden with added sugars and artificial ingredients.

Fibre might not be a direct source of energy for us, but it certainly helps feed our gut bacteria! Our gut microbes use fibre as fuel to thrive, allowing them to perform all their fantastic jobs in the gut, such as modulating the gut environment, reducing inflammation, and maintaining a healthy gut lining. When microbes munch on this fibre, they produce by-products called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which include acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Butyrate, in particular, is a main source of fuel for the colonocytes lining the gut wall and so is needed to maintain gut barrier integrity. A healthy microbiome, including good levels of SCFAs, can interact with many body systems and can greatly influence metabolic health, mood, and brain function.

Heart health

Fibre is essential in ensuring adequate bowel movements, which is a vital detoxification and elimination pathway for toxins, used hormones, and cholesterol. Constipation or slow bowel regularity means that these toxins, hormones, and cholesterol, which have already been metabolised, are retained in the body for longer, increasing the risk of them being reabsorbed into systemic circulation and leading to health complications. Soluble fibre can bind to cholesterol in the digestive tract and support its excretion, helping to lower total and LDL cholesterol, supporting cardiovascular health. Not only this, but good levels of fibre from plant sources automatically mean more nutrients and phytochemicals to support general health and reduce inflammation.

Blood sugar control, weight management, and satiety

Fibre plays a key role in slowing down digestion and sugar absorption, which helps to stabilise blood glucose levels and minimise insulin spikes, thereby enhancing insulin sensitivity. Soluble fibre forms a gel-like substance in the gut, effectively reducing glucose uptake into the bloodstream. Additionally, SCFAs contribute to blood sugar regulation and help reduce inflammation, a factor that can exacerbate blood sugar imbalances.

Fibrous foods, such as fruits, veggies, and wholegrains, are naturally higher in volume and lower in calories, which makes them very filling to eat. This fibre helps keep you fuller for longer as it slowly leaves the stomach, which has a stabilising effect on blood glucose levels. You may have heard about GLP-1 in the media. Well, did you know that SCFAs stimulate this hormone, along with other appetite-regulating hormones, to promote satiety, making weight management easier. 

Research has consistently found that a high fibre diet can help support blood sugar levels, improve satiety signals, help with weight management, and reduce the risk of disease, including type 2 diabetes

How to get more fibre in your diet

A tip to help you remember where to get fibre is, if it is grown on a tree, a bush, or in the ground, then it most likely has moderate to good levels of fibre!

All fruits and vegetables contain fibre, often with a mix of soluble and insoluble. Rather than worrying too much about the differences here, we recommend aiming to eat a variety of different plant foods each day, ideally aiming for 8-10 portions a day! If you are starting from a low fibre diet, it is best to increase this gradually to avoid any digestive discomfort, and your body will slowly adapt to the increased amount.

We recommend getting at least 30g of fibre throughout the day from the following sources:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Legumes, lentils, and beans – chickpeas, red kidney beans, black beans
• Wholegrains such as brown rice, buckwheat, millet, and quinoa
• Oats
• Seeds such as flaxseeds, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds
• Nuts such as hazelnuts, pistachios, and almonds

While bread does contain fibre, we would not recommend relying on this as your main fibre source, and try to opt for wholewheat, sourdough, and multigrain over white bread if you do. Many food brands will boast ‘high fibre’, but we would again recommend not relying on these foods and instead filling your meals with healthy wholefoods such as those above, which are also packed with a host of other nutrients and health-promoting phytochemicals.

Chickpea and quinoa summer salad – over 20g of fibre!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of cooked Quinoa
• 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Cherry tomatoes
• Red pepper - sliced
• Half a red onion - sliced
• 1 grated carrot
• 1 Avocado mashed
• Handful of rocket
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Seed mix – flaxseeds and hempseeds
• Optional: Chilli flakes

Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa according to instructions (10-15 minutes) and leave to cool
2. Chop up all veggies, and add to a large bowl, with the chickpeas and mashed avocado
3. Add in cooled quinoa and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, add in flax and hempseeds, and season with salt and pepper, and optional chilli flakes, and mix altogether.
4. Serve on a bed of rocket and enjoy!