What is fibre, and where do you find it?
Fibre is defined as remnants of plant cell walls that are resistant to digestion in the small intestine. This means the dietary fibre moves to the large bowel, called the colon. Adequate dietary fibre can support gut transit time, regularity of bowel motions, reducing blood cholesterol and glucose levels.
Types of fibre in food:
There are three key types of fibre, and all play important but different roles in the body. Most plant foods contain a combination of these.
Soluble Fibre
Soluble fibre dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance within the gastrointestinal tract. This process slows gastric emptying and digestion, which can support regulating blood glucose levels and improving feelings of fullness. It is found in foods such as oats, barley, fruits (particularly apples and pears), vegetables, legumes, soy products and seeds such as flaxseed.
Insoluble Fibre
Insoluble fibre doesn’t dissolve in water, helping to increase stool bulk, and accelerating the passage of food through the digestive tract. This can support regular bowel movements and reduce the risk of constipation. Insoluble fibre is found in wholegrain cereals, wheat bran, rice bran, nuts, seeds, legumes, and the skins of fruits and vegetables.
Resistant Starch
Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and instead passes into the large intestine, called the colon, where it is fermented by gut bacteria. This fermentation process produces short-chain fatty acids, which play a role in supporting gut and metabolic health, including blood pressure regulation. Resistant starch is found in foods such as cooked and cooled potato, rice and pasta, as well as oats, legumes, and slightly unripe bananas.
How much fibre should I be eating?
In Australian adults, it is recommended for adult women to consume 25g fibre per day, and adult men 30g.
If you’re looking to improve your fibre intake, an example day of eating might look like:
Recipe | Fibre (g) | Cost $ | |
Breakfast | 11g | $1.00 | |
Lunch | 10.5g | $1.00 | |
Dinner | 7g | $2.00 | |
Snacks | 3.1g 2g | $0.25 $0.20 | |
Total: | 33.6g | $4.45 | |
