Are you meeting your daily recommended fibre intake?
Fibre is often overlooked in favor of other nutrients like protein and vitamins, yet plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy digestive system, regulating blood sugar, and supporting overall well-being. Despite its many health benefits, many of us fall short of the recommended daily intake. So, how much fibre do you really need, and are you getting enough?
What is Fibre?
Fibre is a plant-based carbohydrate found in foods such as wholegrains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Unlike other carbohydrates, fibre is not digested by the body. Instead, it passes through the digestive system mostly intact, helping to regulate the digestive process. There are two forms of fibre: soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract. It works to lower blood cholesterol and stabilise blood sugar levels. Foods high in soluble fibre include oats, beans, lentils, apples, and citrus fruits.
Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water and supports the movement of material through the bowel. Foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables contain high levels of insoluble fibre.
Most plants contain a combination of soluble and insoluble fibre, both which constitute part of your daily recommended fibre intake.
Why is Fibre Important For Your Health?
Fibre plays a critical role in various bodily functions and supports overall health and well-being.
Promotes Digestive Health: Daily fibre helps to stimulate your bowel and adds bulk to your stool.
Supports Heart Health: Fibre has been shown to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. This is because it contains beta-glucan, which forms a gel-like substance in your gut and binds to cholesterol, stopping it from being absorbed into the body.
Regulates Blood Sugar Levels: High fibre foods don’t spike your blood sugar levels like low-fibre options may. Instead, fibre slows the absorption of sugars which helps to manage and regulate blood sugar levels.
Aids In Weight Management: Eating high-fibre foods have been shown to help you maintain a healthy weight. This is because foods high in fibre tend to be more filling than their low-fibre counterparts, resulting in keeping you satisfied for longer.
Assists Gut Microbiome Health: Fibre helps feed the good bacteria in your large intestine.
Reduces Risk Of Certain Diseases: A fibre-rich diet has been associated with a lowered risk of several conditions, including type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, and diverticular disease.
Daily Recommended Fibre Intake
Your daily recommended fibre intake varies depending on your age, sex, and overall health but the National Academy of Medicine recommends:
21 grams for women older than age 50.
25 grams for women aged 50 or younger.
30 grams for men older than age 50.
38 grams for men aged 50 or younger.
A 2015 review found that the average daily fibre intake among South African adults is as low as 16g for women and 18g for men, both of which are significantly lower than the daily recommended fibre intake. A fibre chart can be used to calculate your daily fibre intake to evaluate if you are reaching the recommended daily amount.
How To Add More Fibre Into Your Diet
There are various ways you can try to add more fibre into your diet. The first and most obvious is to add more high fibre foods into your diet. High fibre foods include fruits, especially berries, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, and nuts and seeds. Another way to add more fibre to your diet includes leaving the skin on your fruits and vegetables because the skin contains extra fibre.
If you are struggling to add more fibre into your diet, consider trying adding a high fibre supplement into your meals. Cool Stool® has 13g of fibre in the suggested 2 tablespoons per day dose and is the perfect way to meet your recommended daily fibre intake.
If you are looking for a gut health supplement or natural constipation remedy, why not try our Cool Stool products? Available in original, cranberry, and vanilla flavours, they are packed with chia seeds, linseeds, psyllium husk, buckwheat and digestive bran, all of which work to support the gut, keep things moving, and help you reach your daily fibre intake.