- Health advice
- Jun 20, 2016
Overall Australians do not eat enough fibre. Fibre is the indigestible part of plants that passes through the stomach and intestines and helps to keep the digestive system healthy. It can be soluble (beans, lentils, berries, chia seeds, flax, oats) or insoluble (fruit, vegetables, wheat, wheat bran and brown rice). It’s the insoluble type that helps move things through your gut without unpleasant side effects.
Why do you need fibre?
As well as keeping your digestive system healthy, fibre also helps to stabilise cholesterol and glucose levels. It can play a role in maintaining healthy blood pressure, promote weight loss, improve immune system and of course is important for promoting good toilet habits.What foods contain most fibre?
Increasing dietary fibre is easy when eating a good wholefood diet. Here are a few suggestions:- If eating breakfast cereal, choose a variety high in fibre and low in sugar
- Choose wholemeal or multigrain bread
- Include fruit and vegetable skins where possible (remember to wash them well before preparing/eating)
- Include snacks such as nuts, seeds and fruit
- Include a few teaspoons of psyllium husks, unprocessed bran and ground flaxseed to cereals, smoothies, desserts, soups, casseroles etc.
- Add legumes and lentils to soups, casseroles and salads
- Choose brown rice instead of white rice
- If having fruit/vegetable juice, choose a nutrablender or use a juicer that keeps the fibre in the juice