Fibre seems to be the newest celebrity in the food world, and rightly so. Fibre is a nutrient that nobody is getting enough of, which is so important for a whole host of reasons, from digestive health to brain health. Fibre has great potential and can be found in a lot of our favourite fruits and vegetables.
What is Fibre?
Dietary fibre is a type of carbohydrate only found in plant foods that the human digestive system cannot break down or absorb. Unlike other carbohydrates, it passes through the body mostly intact, aiding in digestion, regulating blood sugar, and promoting satiety. It is essential for healthy digestion and is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Soluble Fibre vs Insoluble Fibre
Soluble: This is the type that is soluble in water. It forms a gel-like material in the stomach that slows down digestion. It can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar. Soluble fibre can be found in oats, peas, beans, apples, bananas, avocados, citrus fruits, carrots and barley.
Insoluble: This is the type of fibre you might have heard referred to as roughage. This type of fibre doesn’t dissolve in water. It gets the bowel moving, adding bulk to stool. Insoluble fibre can be found in wheat bran, nuts, beans, potatoes, and vegetables such as cauliflower and green beans.
A commonly recommended ratio of insoluble to soluble fibre is 2:1 of insoluble fibre to soluble fibre; however, nutritionists emphasise focusing on total fibre intake and food variety over strict ratio tracking.
What are the Benefits of Fibre?
- A higher fibre diet is linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer
- Fibre lowers cholesterol levels
- Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes
- Improves constipation
- Reduces inflammation
- Improves the diversity of your microbiome and supports gut health
- Improves your mood
Where can I find Fibre?
Most wholegrains, beans, pulses, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables are good sources of fibre. A good way of checking if a ready meal is high in fibre is to check the back to see if it is a source of fibre. What to look for:
- Source of Fibre: 3g per 100g
- High in fibre: 6g per 100g
To help us reach our daily limit of 30g, see the table below with some great high-fibre options to integrate into our diet!
| Cereals and Carbohydrates Per 100g | |
| Shredded whole wheat or bran cereals | 13-24.5g |
| Wholemeal bread (two slices) | 7.0g |
| Wholemeal spaghetti (boiled) | 4.2g |
| Fruit and Vegetables | |
| Figs | 6.9g |
| Strawberries | 3.8g |
| Parsnip (boiled) | 4.7g |
| Broccoli (boiled) | 2.8g |
| Nuts and seeds | |
| Almonds | 7.4g |
| Peanuts | 7.6g |
| Sesame | 7.9g |
| Sunflower seeds | 6.0g |
| Peas and beans | |
| Peas (boiled) | 5.6g |
| Baked beans (in tomato sauce) | 4.9g |
| Green beans (boiled) | 4.1g |
One of my favourite high fibre meals (find more on our instagram @femmebiome)
Harissa chickpea baked eggs
Full dish ~ 43g fibre.
3 portions: ~14 g each
|
1 red onion, finely diced
|
| 1 red pepper, finely diced
|
| 2 garlic cloves, minced
|
| 1.5tbsp tomato pure
|
| 1.5 tbsp harissa |
| 1 x 700g jar of chickpeas with brine
|
| 1x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
|
| Salt+pepper
|
| 2tbsp cream cheese
|
| 3-4 eggs
|
| To finish: yoghurt, parsley, pickled onion
|
Method:
- Heat 1tbsp oil in a large frying pan
- Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until softening, then add the pepper and garlic. Cook for a few more minutes.
- Stir in the tomato purée and harissa until the veg is coated, then tip in the chickpeas with their brine and the chopped tomatoes. Season well.
- Let everything bubble for 5 minutes, then stir through the cream cheese. Simmer for 4 minutes, make wells and crack in the eggs.
- Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 8 minutes for a hob-only option. Or put under the grill for 2 minutes until the whites have set.
- Top with yoghurt, parsley, and pickled onion. Scoop up with some crusty bread and enjoy!