The amazing health benefits of eating more fibre
“Many researchers believe that fibre is one of the most important nutrients for combatting various types of disease and premature ageing. However, many of us eat far too little fibre. Yet it’s so easy to increase our daily intake.”
Did you know that by eating plenty of fibre, you can cut the risk of premature death caused by cardiovascular disease and some cancers? And did you know that by eating plenty of fibre, you also reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes and obesity, while also reducing harmful invisible inflammation and improving your blood fats? You’re also feeding your good gut bacteria, which strengthens the immune system and has a positive effect on your brain’s health. Despite these benefits and all the knowledge we have, far too many of us eat far too little fibre. Unfortunately, many fad diets and cures contain too little fibre. Healthy eating guided by science is actually quite easy. Fibre and its impressive effect on our health is an example of this.
Two types of fibre
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate from the plant kingdom that can be divided into two groups - soluble and insoluble. Fibre is distinguished by the fact that it reaches the large intestine without having been broken down by the digestive system. Soluble fibre dissolves in water to form a kind of jelly. This type of fibre can be found in beans, lentils, nuts, oats, apples, citrus fruits, and blueberries. It helps to stabilise our blood sugar and has a positive effect on blood fats. Insoluble fibre encourages the activity of our gastrointestinal tract and helps to combat constipation. Beans, nuts, root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots, wholegrain products containing wheat and rye, and cauliflower are some examples of foods that contain a lot of insoluble fibre.
Impressive health benefits
Despite the incredible health benefits from eating enough fibre through “regular” food, fibre has not received the attention it deserves. Methods such as juicing and the Atkins diet, both of which contain little fibre, are just two examples of this. I would speculate that this is because fibre is “too common” and not exotic enough, making it less attractive in terms of marketing. With high-fibre foods as the basis of a healthy diet and by eating enough of them, you’re also getting many other key nutrients as high-fibre foods have a high nutrient content and low-calorie content. The Swedish Food Agency recommends 25 to 35 grams of fibre a day for adults, and that children gradually increase the amount they eat until they’re teenagers, when they should eat the same amount as adults. If you regularly have your daily recommended intake of fibre, you will:
Have a positive effect on your blood sugar. Soluble fibre helps people with diabetes to stabilise their blood sugar, as it rises more slowly and stays lower. A diet that is high in fibre and low in foods that elevate blood sugar reduces the risk of type-2 diabetes.
Improve your blood fats by reducing total cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol. This in turn benefits your cardiovascular system.
Improve your blood pressure, which reduces the risk of vascular damage.
Reduce low-grade inflammation in the body, as fibre feeds the good gastrointestinal bacteria (microbiome). When the bacteria in the large intestine break down fibre, important substances are formed that counteract inflammation. These anti-inflammatory substances benefit many different organs in the body, including the brain, and can affect our mental health.
Reduce the risk of premature death generally, and from cardiovascular disease by 15-30% according to a major analysis published in the prestigious journal The Lancet in 2019. Here, a total of 250 different studies were reviewed. The conclusion is that those who ate the most fibre reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type-2 diabetes, of dying from cardiovascular disease, and of premature death in general compared with those who ate the least. According to this analysis, the best results came from a fibre intake of 25 to 29 grams per day.
Reduce the risk of breast cancer. A meta analysis published by the American Cancer Society looked at the results of several different studies and found that those with a high fibre intake from wholegrain products, fruit, vegetables, and beans reduced their risk of breast cancer by eight percent compared with those with a low fibre intake.
Maintain your weight, as fibre gives a feeling of satiety and helps to combat hunger. Fibre should therefore be a key component in your diet if you want to lose weight. Remarkably, many diets that focus on weight often contain too little fibre.
Combat constipation
“Excluding wholegrain products such as wholemeal bread is not such a smart health choice, unless you have medical reasons for excluding them.”
Easy ways to eat more fibre:
By making the basis of your diet fruit, berries, vegetables, root vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, lentils, and wholegrain products, you’re optimising your fibre intake and getting lots of other key nutrients at the same time. This has the best health benefits.
Start the day with some type of whole grain such as oats, muesli, or wholemeal bread. Fibre gives a feeling of satiety, so you won’t need a snack before lunch. Oats come near the top of the list when it comes to fibre content. Top them with a few berries or a grated apple and nuts, and you’re getting your day off to a high-fibre start.
Switch to wholegrain products as often as possible, such as wholegrain rice, bread, and pasta instead of processed products. Don’t forget brown rice and wholegrain bulgur wheat. This ensures you’re getting as many healthy vitamins, minerals, and fibre as you can. Refrain from trends that exclude wholegrain products if you don’t have medical reasons for doing so, as they’re an important source of fibre. If you have children, you could start by mixing half regular pasta with half wholegrain pasta to introduce them to it gradually.
Have some type of bean puree or hummus readily available in the fridge, which can be eaten as an accompaniment to lunch or dinner. In my family, this has helped us to eat a lot more beans and peas. You’ll find my favourites in a post published on 10 June 2021.
Nuts, almonds, and seeds can simply be sprinkled on porridge, yoghurt, or on a fruit or vegetable salad.
Save fruit juice for special occasions and eat fruit whole as often as you can instead in order to get the most fibre, as most of it disappears in juices.
Eat a vegetarian dinner a couple of times a week. A stew is one of my favourite ways to eat lots of different vegetables, as it’s easy just to put in what you’ve got at home. Cooked vegetables contain just as much fibre as raw vegetables.
My advice:
If you want to eat healthily, you should focus on your fibre intake and eat a variety of different fibres. It’s important to introduce fibre gradually so that the intestinal bacteria have time to get used to them, otherwise there’s a risk of gas formation and tension in the abdomen. This can vary from individual to individual. When eating plenty of fibre, it’s important to drink enough water. Be aware that many trends and products marketed as healthy can be low in fibre.
