You may often hear about the importance and fuss over fibre for our marvellous machines… but

what is it and why the fuss? Sometimes the basics need to be explained – so may I shed some light for you?

A variety of definitions of fibre exist. In an attempt to develop one definition of fibre that everyone can use, the Food and Nutrition Board assembled a panel that came up with the following definitions:

• Dietary fibre consists of non-digestible carbohydrates and lignin that are intrinsic and intact in plants. This includes plant non-starch polysaccharides (for example, cellulose, pectin, gums, hemicellulose, and fibres contained in oat and wheat bran), oligosaccharides, lignin, and some resistant starch.

• Functional fibre consists of isolated, non-digestible carbohydrates that have beneficial physiological effects in humans. This includes non-digestible plant (for example, resistant starch, pectin, and gums), chitin, chitosan, or commercially produced (for example,

resistant starch, polydextrose, inulin, and indigestible dextrins) carbohydrates.

• Total fibre is the sum of dietary fibre and functional fibre.

You may also hear fibre referred to as bulk or roughage. Call it what you want, just know that fibre is an important part of a healthy diet and can have many health benefits. It can help prevent heart disease, weight gain and some cancers and it can also improve digestive health. It is said to have a positive impact on cholesterol absorption and assists in the modulation of blood glucose-assisting in the treatment and prevention of Type 2 Diabetes.

This difference can be seen among the two categories that fibre is divided into: soluble and insoluble. Each type of fibre helps your body in different ways. It’s important to eat a variety of fibre-containing foods.

• Soluble fibre can be digested by your body. It dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance. Sources of soluble fibre are: oats, legumes (beans, peas, root vegetables), apples, bananas,

berries, barley, some vegetables, and psyllium. It is helpful in providing fuel for bacteria and encouraging a healthy micro flora in the gut.

• Insoluble fibre can’t be digested. It passes through your gut without being broken down. Insoluble fibre help keep your bowels healthy and helps prevent digestive problems. Increasing the movement of material through your digestive tract and increases your stool bulk. Helping to prevent and treat constipation. Sources of insoluble fibre are: whole wheat foods, bran, nuts,

seeds, and the skin of some fruits and vegetables. It’s important to also increase the intake of water with a diet high in insoluble fibre or you can get constipated – and you don’t want that!

It was originally thought that fibre didn’t produce energy for the body, but it is now known that some fibres (soluble) can be fermented in the large intestine by gut bacteria, producing short chain fatty acids and gases. The fatty acids are absorbed into the blood stream and do provide a small amount of energy. The amount of gas produced depends also on the type of fibre eaten and the gut bacteria that is present (give the good guys more real estate)! Adaption by the large intestine and gut bacteria gradually occurs and symptoms decrease i.e: wind and slight discomfort.

Did you know that by adding fibre to any meal, lowers the GI of your meal!

You also gain greater satiety – feeling fuller for longer and sustained energy levels.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults are to eat at least five servings of vegetables per day and two

serves of fruit. Do you think we pass? In 2007-08, more than 90% of Australian adults did not eat enough vegetables. Almost 50% did not eat enough fruit! Perhaps if more people understood the health benefits and potential protective advantages that can be obtained from adding more fibre into their diets daily, more people would! For this indicator, daily fruit and vegetable consumption is used to estimate fibre intake.

According to a National Nutrition survey conducted in 1995 by the ABS, most of our fibre intake (80%)came from cereal products, cereal-based products, fruit and vegetables. The major sources of dietary fibre were: regular breads

and rolls for all ages; and potatoes for adolescents. Potatoes contributed a moderate amount to intake by children and adults. Other foods that contributed a moderate amount to dietary fibre intake were some fruit, single source breakfast cereals, mixed source breakfast cereals and mixed dishes where cereals are the major ingredient.

It would be wonderful to see the figures show more people gaining the lion’s share of fibre intake from functional foods… a fresh piece of seasonal fruit, munching on crunchy vegetables as a snack or enjoying nutrient dense seed and nut mixes.

Keeping the bowels moving regularly is so important for our bodies – I once heard someone describe your digestive tract as a railway line with trains passing along regularly. If a train misses a

scheduled stop, passengers cannot get on or off as they

intended. Meetings may be missed, friends and families might

not get to see each other and parcels are not delivered…

The journey food takes along your digestive tract does not contain any

stages that can be skipped without detrimental effects… so bulk up, push on and

don’t hold back!!

naturalearthhealthproducts.com.au

WORDS SARAH CLARKE – Owner of Natural Earth Health Products

Fibre… what and why?

FOOD FOR THE SOUL