Fibre is the new protein, so learn how to optimise your fibre intake

Most of us have now got the memo that it’s important to eat more protein, but fibre is still left overlooked as its poor cousin. A staggering 96% of UK adults, adolescents and teens (and 86% of kids under 10) do not meet the recommended fibre intake. So, pretty much everyone needs to learn how and why to incorporate more fibre into our diets!

When most people think of fibre, they think of roughage for digestive support or constipation relief, but the truth is that fibre is so much more than that. Fibre helps to support blood sugar control, heart health and gut health, aids healthy weight management, and reduces the risk of certain cancers including bowel cancer.

The trend of ‘fibremaxxing’ has been circulating online recently, which is a positive step towards getting more fibre into our diets. However, ensure you read our practical take-home tips below to avoid pesky bloating or constipation as your body adjusts! This blog explains the different types of fibre, what they can do for you and how you can increase the fibre in your diet without it feeling like a chore!

What kind of nutrient is fibre?

Fibre is classified as a nutrient, as it’s a form of carbohydrate, but the amazing thing about it is that it is that it passes through the body undigested. Dietary fibre comes in two main forms: soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fibre dissolves in water, with some types forming a gel-like substance in the gut. This can slow the absorption of nutrients and may help you feel fuller for longer.

Some types of soluble fibre can also help regulate your blood sugar levels by delaying glucose absorption from food and softening the rise in blood sugar following a meal. Studies also suggest that consuming more soluble fibre may support healthy weight management.

It also helps to lower ‘bad’ cholesterol, which in turn has great benefits for your heart and circulation. This is called LDL cholesterol, and it’s the one we need to watch for when it comes to cardiovascular health.

Some soluble fibre also acts as a prebiotic, feeding the beneficial bacteria in your gut. This helps our friendly gut bacteria produce amazing molecules called short-chain fatty acids, which help to reduce inflammation, support the DNA of your gut cells and also support your immunity.

Good sources of soluble fibre include:

Apples
Avocado
Baobab
Barley
Beans (kidney, black, cannellini, butter beans)
Berries (strawberries, blueberries)
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Carrots
Chia seeds
Chickpeas
Figs

Flax seeds
Grapefruit
Lentils
Oats
Oranges
Peaches/nectarines
Pears
Plums and prunes
Psyllium husks
Sunflower seeds
Sweet Potatoes

If you find it tricky to incorporate these foods into your diet, then you can lean on prebiotic fibre supplements. For sensitive tummies, I suggest partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG), which is suitable for people following a low-FODMAP diet and even babies from the age of 6 months. There are also other soluble fibres, including inulin, FOS, acacia fibre and beta-glucans.

Insoluble fibre is just as important for you, but it works in a different way from soluble fibre. Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water, but it adds bulk to stools, which helps to support healthy, regular bowel movements, improves transit time and helps to stimulate peristalsis (the wave-like muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract). This not only helps to prevent constipation (and that frustrating feeling of not quite emptying) but may also help you feel fuller for longer, so you are less likely to eat in between meals.

Fibre-rich diets are also associated with a lower risk of painful digestive conditions such as diverticular disease and can help to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Rates of bowel cancers have been dramatically rising among younger adults and eating more fibre is thought to help mitigate the risk.

By supporting regular bowel movements, insoluble fibre also helps the body eliminate waste products, including metabolised oestrogen, which is important for your hormone health, especially if you have heavy or painful periods, PMS/PMDD, endometriosis, fibroids, adenomyosis or fibrocystic breasts.

There is also emerging evidence that certain fibres, including wheat bran, oats, legumes and pectin, from apples, pears and plums may help to bind to some of the dreaded environmental pollutants we are exposed to, such as microplastics, BPA and even PFAS.

Good sources of insoluble fibre include:

Almonds
Apricots
Bananas
Beetroot
Blackberries
Broccoli
Brown rice
Bulgur wheat
Cabbbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chia seeds
Chickpeas
Courgette (zucchini)
Figs
Flax seeds
Hemp seeds
Grapes
Green beans

Kale
Kiwis
Nuts
Parsnip
Popcorn
Potatoes
Pumpkin seeds
Quinoa
Raisins
Raspberries
Rocket (arugula)
Rye
Sesame seeds
Spinach
Sunflower seeds
Sweetcorn
Walnuts
Watercress
Wheat bran & germ
Wholewheat

Lots of these foods include both soluble and insoluble fibre, so they are winners all round. Most whole foods contain both types, and these lists reflect which type of fibre dominates; the lists are not a clear split. For instance, oats have soluble beta-glucan in their endosperm but insoluble fibre in the bran/husk, whilst apples have soluble pectin in their flesh and insoluble fibre in the skin.

Why are families not getting enough fibre?

UK recommendations for fibre intake suggest that adults should aim to consume 30 grams a day. Little ones aged 2-5 years old should consume 15 grams, and 6–16-year-olds should consume between 20-25 grams. The latest figures show that 96% of UK adults do not reach their daily fibre goals, with average intakes of only around 16–17 grams of fibre a day. Given the incredible health benefits, why are we struggling to hit the recommended intakes?

Often, people think of a salad as a high-fibre lunch option, but a base of lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes is actually very low in fibre (you will spot that they are not on the lists above). So, to supercharge your salad at lunchtime, switch iceberg lettuce to a mix of baby chard, rocket and spinach and then add chickpeas, lentils, avocados, or nuts, which can boost your fibre intake significantly. It is all about making clever swaps and adding more of the good stuff.

Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, white rice, and white pasta, are staples on supermarket shelves because they’re so palatable. However, processing strips them of much of their natural fibre. Many people rely on these staples in their diet, but simply swapping them for wholegrain alternatives can help to boost your fibre intake in an easy, stress-free way.

Another reason why diets may be low in fibre is the large uptick in ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption. Many UPFs replace more nutritious and high-fibre alternatives, and studies suggest that the more UPFs someone eats, the less fibre they consume. Focusing on whole foods is much better for boosting fibre intake, than relying on ‘high fibre’ claims on processed foods.

Simple high fibre swaps and practical take-home tips

Small swaps to your diet can make a big difference to its fibre content and support your overall health.

As fibre absorbs water, it is important to adjust your water intake accordingly if you are going to increase your fibre intake. I suggest drinking an extra glass of water alongside a particularly fibre-rich meal. This will help to prevent constipation and dehydration.

It is also important to build in the extra fibre slowly. Making a few swaps per week will give your body time to adjust to the new fibre intake and reduce the likelihood of bloating, excess gas or gastrointestinal discomfort. Start by increasing the volume of the foods that you eat normally you know don’t bloat you. This might be committing to eating an apple a day, stirring a teaspoon of flax seed into your morning yoghurt or making a batch of carrot and cabbage slaw for your lunches. Here are some more simple swaps you can make:

Replace white bread with wholemeal seeded bread
Instead of your bowl of packet cerea, have overnight oats with berries and flax seeds.
Have a handful of mixed nuts instead of crisps
Forget fruit juice and have real whole fruit
White rice can be replaced with brown rice
Pimp up your tomato pasta sauce with 1/2 tin of cannellini beans bended in

Lots of fibre is found in the skin of fruits and vegetables, so instead of peeling your carrots, potatoes or kiwis, give them a really good scrub under running water and eat them skin-on. Soaked prunes and dates are soft and squishy and these are easy to eat straight from a packet.

Round up

Many of us need to increase our fibre intake, but with simple swaps and a little more awareness of high-fibre foods, it does not have to be difficult. Finding foods that are easy to slot into your diet is key, and we have a library of fantastic recipes to give you inspiration.

Fibre is a vital element of our diets that can not only support healthy digestion but can also feed our beneficial gut bacteria, improve cardiovascular health, reduce the risk of colon cancer and support healthy blood sugar levels.

If you feel like you need more support to optimise your diet, get in touch with the NatureDoc clinical team. Please share this with your friends and family so they can learn how increasing their fibre intake could benefit them too!

Ask me what supplements can help… or anything else!

Fibre is the new protein, so learn how to optimise your fibre intake

What kind of nutrient is fibre?

Why are families not getting enough fibre?

Simple high fibre swaps and practical take-home tips

Round up

References

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