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Fight Fat with Fibre

What is fibre?

The British Nutrition Foundation defines dietary fibre as a group of substances in plant foods which cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes. It was originally thought that fibre was indigestible and could not provide any energy, however more research has shown some fibre can be fermented to produce short chain fatty acids. Fibre comes in two forms:

Soluble – meaning it dissolves in water.

Insoluble – meaning it does not dissolve in water.

Dietary Fibre

How does it work?

Fibre can change the nature of the contents within your digestive system which in turn can change how other nutrients are absorbed. Fibre can again be broken into three categories based on how it aids health:

Bulking fibres absorb water and can significantly increase stool weight and regularity.

Viscous fibres thicken the contents of the intestines and may reduce sugar response and fat absorption after eating.

Fermentable fibres are consumed by the micro-bacteria within the intestines, mildly increasing fecal bulk and producing short-chain fatty acids as byproducts.

The health benefits of fibre

Here are 3 ways fibre can hep you reduce your body fat:

  1. ​Improves glucose tolerance and the insulin response following a meal, this results in less fat storage.

  2. Improves gastrointestinal health which means reduced cravings and again less fat is stored per meal.

  3. Increases food volume without increasing caloric content to the same extent as digestible carbohydrates, providing satiety which may reduce appetite.

Further benefits of fibre include reducing the risk of serious illness. Park et al. (2011) conducted a study involving 388,000 adults over 9 years and found that the highest consumers of fibre were 22% less likely to die over this period. It is believed that diets with higher amounts of fibre may decrease the risk of coronary heart disease, colon cancer, and type 2 diabetes (Morenga et al., 2019)

Where are best sources of fibre?

Soluble fibre can be found in almost all plant foods and here are some of the most commonly used:

  • Legumes (peas, soybeans, lupins and other beans)

  • Oats

  • Chia

  • Barley

  • Avocados

  • Prunes

  • Berries

  • Flax seeds

  • Nuts (with almonds being the highest in dietary fibre)

Sources of insoluble fibre include:

  • Whole grain foods

  • Wheat and corn bran

  • Legumes such as beans and peas

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Potato skins

  • Vegetables such as green beans, cauliflower and celery

  • The skins of some fruits such as kiwi, grapes and tomatoes.

Take home message

Fibre-rich diets have a reduced energy density compared with most other diets. This is related to fibre’s ability to add bulk and weight to the diet.

As of 2018, the British Nutrition Foundation has recommended a minimum fibre intake of 30 grams per day for healthy adults.

Tips for fitting in more fibre

For breakfast choose a high-fibre breakfast cereal — Opt for cereals with "whole grain," "bran" or "fibre" in the name.

Look for breads that list whole wheat, whole-wheat flour or another whole grain as the first ingredient on the label and have at least 2 grams of dietary fibre a serving.

Experiment with brown rice, wild rice, barley, whole-wheat pasta and bulgur wheat.

Bulk up baked goods. Substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour when baking.

Lean on legumes. Beans, peas and lentils are excellent sources of fibre. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad.

Eat more fruit and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fibre, as well as vitamins and minerals.

Make snacks count. Fresh fruits, raw vegetables, nuts or dried fruits are a healthy, high-fibre snack — although be aware that nuts and dried fruits are high in calories.

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