Your fibre intake might not be something you necessarily think of when you’re buying your weekly food shop. However, we should ideally be eating 30g of it a day, when in fact we’re only consuming about 20g1. But why is fibre so important and why should we be making sure we’re eating enough of it, as part of a balanced diet?
We’re taking a look at the health benefits of fibre and sharing our top tips for increasing your intake and which foods can help achieve this.
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What are the benefits of fibre?
Fibre is a found naturally in plants and is a type of carbohydrate that can’t be fully digested in the small intestine. It instead ends up in your large intestine where it gets broken down by good bacteria in your gut. Fibre is essential for your gut to work normally.2
It’s this process that helps regulate digestion, supports gut health and reduces inflammation and allergies.3 A high-fibre diet is also linked with lowering the risk of:
- Constipation
- LDL cholesterol
- Obesity
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes,
- Bowel cancer.3
Guts UK, the national charity for the digestive system, highlight that “unlike most other nutrients, the effect of fibre on our body can be fast. Fibre comes in different shapes and sizes, and the various types have different effects on the gut.”4
According to the British Association of Dietetics, fibre should be categorised by solubility, viscosity and fermentability such as:
Soluble fibre – found in oats, rye, barley, root vegetables, apples and bananas, this type of fibre makes our poo bigger and softer, allowing it to move easier along the gut which helps reduce the chance of constipation.4
Insoluble fibre – found in wholegrain, nuts, seeds and leafy vegetables, this type of fibre doesn’t absorb water, so it instead stimulates our bowels to secrete more water. This process helps speed poo along our gut and keeps our bowels functioning like they should.
Resistant Starch (RS) – found in bananas, potatoes, grains and pulses, this is a soluble/highly fermentable fibre that gets broken down by good bacteria to produce short chain fatty acids in the gut.
Prebiotics – found in onions, garlic, asparagus and banana, these are types of carbohydrates that guts bacteria feeds on. They improve the balance of gut bacteria.
It’s thought that eating a variety of fibre-rich foods is more beneficial than relying on a single source.4
So, how do we ensure we’re eating enough…
How much fibre should we be eating?
No matter the age group, we’re all not getting enough fibre into our diets.
UK adults – are consuming around 20g a day when we should be eating 30g a day.1
Children aged 11 to 18 years-old – are getting 16g a day.1
Those over 65 years old are also not eating enough – with their daily intake around 17.5g.4
For adults we need 30g a day but for children the recommended amount is slightly less:
- 2 to 5-year-olds: need about 15g of fibre a day
- 5 to 11-year-olds: need about 20g
- 11 to 16-year-olds: need about 25g1
"Every extra 7g of fibre (equal to 2 wholemeal bread slices) in the daily diet reduces the risk of common chronic diseases. For example, an 8% reduction in colon cancer and a 9% reduction in cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.”4 Guts UK
Which foods contain the most fibre?
When looking at food labels those with high fibre have 6g or more per 100g. Guts UK say: “a good source of fibre contains between 3g and 6g per 100g of food, and to aim for the upper limit.”4
| Food | Total fibre per 100g |
| Psyllium husk | 90g |
| Chia seeds | 34g |
| Flaxseeds (Linseed) | 28g |
| Shredded whole wheat or bran cereals | 13-24.5g |
| Sesame | 7.9g |
| Lentils (boiled without salt) | 7.9g |
| Peanuts | 7.6g |
| Almonds | 7.4g |
| Wholemeal bread (two slices) | 7.0g |
| Avocado | 7.0g |
| Figs | 6.9g |
| Peas | 5.6g |
| Baked beans | 4.9g |
| Parsnips | 4.7g |
| Wholemeal spaghetti / pasta | 4.2g |
| Green beans | 4.1g |
Meal ideas to help increase your fibre
Breakfast:
- Swap white bread for wholemeal versions, if you’re having toast
- Top toast with peanut butter instead of butter or jam
- Add fruit and/or seeds into yoghurt or cereals
- Have porridge or overnight oats with seeds and fruit mixed in
Lunch:
If you can, swap a pre-packed sandwich for a homemade lunch:
- Jacket potato/sweet potato with baked beans
- Curry with lentils and plenty of veg
- Scrambled egg with avocado and spinach
Or choose wholemeal bread and try and have some fruit along with your sandwich.
Dinner:
- Chicken breast with carrots and green beans
- Sweet potato and bean chilli
- Fish with new potatoes (skin left on), broccoli and cherry tomatoes
- Quinoa, tofu and vegetable stir fry
Snacks:
- Fruit
- Handful of nuts (unsalted)
- Carrot sticks with hummus
- Rye crackers or oat cakes (topped with peanut butter or lower fat cream cheese)
We should be aiming for at least 5 portions of different fruits and vegetables every day. Our article on Tips to getting your ‘5 a day’ has some pointers on how to get more into your daily diet.
Explore our recipe hub for some mealtime inspiration.
Top tips and simple tweaks
It can be a lot to remember, on top of everything else, what we should ideally be eating for a healthy and balanced diet. But increasing our fibre can soon become habit with a few simple tweaks:
- Swap for the wholemeal/wholewheat varieties of certain foods e.g. bread, pasta and rice.
- Keep the skin on potatoes – sweet potato and new potatoes too.
- Add pulses such as lentils, beans or chickpeas to stews and curries.
- Include plenty of veg with each meal and keep frozen veg stocked up in the freezer, so you don’t run out.
- Snack on fruit or add it into breakfasts.
- Vegetable soup can be a great way to have something filling and full of fibre – a good option for both lunch or dinner.
Remember to drink plenty of water when increasing your fibre and to increase gradually. As this help to avoid gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating and gas and allows your gut to adjust to the higher intake.2
So, when you’re next at the supermarket or putting together an online order, make sure you’re adding in those high fibre foods with plenty of fruit and vegetables, and your gut will thank you.
References
- How to get more fibre into your diet – NHS
- Fibre – The Association of UK Dietitians
- What is fibre and how does it work in the body? – British Nutrition Foundation
- Fibre – Guts UK
