Dietary fibre also referred to as ‘roughage’ describes the carbohydrates that can’t be digested by humans. It is found in plant foods such as cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables and in the plant cell wall where it provides structural support for the plant. Dietary fibre can be divided into two main types – soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre is thought to bind with cholesterol and prevent its absorption into the bloodstream. This helps lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood, therefore reducing the heart disease risks. Insoluble fibre helps to keep the digestive system in good working order by increasing the bulk and softness of the stools, which in turn assists the smooth passage of food through the body. The best way to ensure that you get a mixture of both soluble and insoluble fibre is by eating a range of fibre-rich foods, rather than just one or two sources.
If you want to stay healthy and lose weight, you should eat more dietary fibre. There are many reasons why including fibre in your diet can help you lose weight.
1. It provides bulk which makes you feel full. People who consume a considerable amount of fibre end up eating fewer calories. Unlike other carbohydrates, most dietary fibre doesn’t provide any calorie to the body. It means is that fibre-rich foods are often lower in energy than foods containing no fibre or only small amount of fibre, making them ideal food for those who are trying to lose weight. Including more fibre in your diet will help boost weight loss and make slimming a fun rather than a task.
2. Soluble fibre also forms a gel in the intestine, which is thought to slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, especially glucose. This means it can help to keep blood sugar levels steady, preventing feelings of hunger which makes you feel satisfied longer. Foods rich in soluble fibre include fruits, vegetables, oats, barley, and pulses such as beans, lentils and peas.
3. High fibre foods generally take longer to chew. This makes you feel more satisfied when you eat and automatically slows down the speed at which you eat, giving your brain time to register feelings of fullness making you less likely to overeat.
4. Fibre acts like a sponge and absorbs and holds on to water as its chewed in the mouth and passes into the stomach. This means fibre-rich foods swell up in your stomach and this can help to fill you up.
5. Fibre stays in the stomach longer as it’s harder to digest. This helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer, so you’re less likely to result to snack in between meals. Having spent a long time in the stomach, fibre moves through the large intestine relatively quickly and this is believed helps to keep the digestive system healthy, preventing bowel problems such as constipation, diverticular disease and haemorrhoids (piles), as well as reducing the risk of bowel cancer.
6. Furthermore, most fibre-rich foods are also low in fat and packed with vitamins and minerals. This is very important when it comes to preventing a lot of diseases. For example, whole grains like wheat, barley, oats, rye and rice contain not just fibre, but a number of nutrients that may reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers and diabetes by as much as 30 per cent. These include antioxidant nutrients vitamin E, zinc and selenium and a range of plant compounds called phytochemicals.
by Ephrim Chim
