Why we need dietary fibre

Let’s take a good look at how fibre can help us:

Insoluble fibre:

• Delays gastric emptying time and the absorption of nutrients from the small intestine;
• Sweeps debris out of the gut, thereby improving nutrient absorption.
• Bulks stools;
• Accelerates colonic transit time;
• Regulates bowels better than other laxatives.
• Promotes colon health,
• Can help with weight loss.

Soluble fibre has the following benefits in addition to the benefits above!

• Escorts cholesterol and triglycerides out of the body and inhibits their production in the liver;
• Assists with the elimination of toxins, and heavy metals in the body;
• Stimulates pancreatic enzyme release and activity;
• Stabilizes blood glucose by slowing down glucose absorption;
• Aids in weight loss by providing a feeling of fullness and reducing calorie absorption;
• Improves bowel regularity by absorbing water;
• Speeds the passage/elimination of waste from your system, by significantly increasing colonic transit time;
• Eases irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in some cases;
• Soothes our intestines;
• Helps to stabilise blood sugar levels: We have all experienced blood sugar fluctuations, which cause us, for example, to be fine one minute and exhausted the next. Soluble fibre from legumes, barley and oats can help to regulate blood sugar swings by delaying the intestinal absorption of sugar and so helps to maintain energy balance in the body;
• Protects against heart disease: Several large studies in America, Finland and Norway have found that people who eat relatively large amounts of wholegrain cereals have significantly lower rates of heart disease and stroke. It’s thought that a particular type of fibre called soluble fibre may be partly responsible as it helps to lower blood cholesterol levels;
• Reduces excess blood fats;
• Combats constipation;
• In the bowel, bacteria convert fibre into short chain fatty acids, which provide energy for the body and may help protect against cancer;
• Mucilage sooths irritated intestinal linings;
• Feeds friendly bowel bacteria;
• Escorts bile acids, toxins and cholesterol out of the body;
• Lowers the GI of carbohydrates by stabilising insulin function.

On the reverse side, not having enough fibre in the diet is at least partly responsible for a number of problems, including:

• Elevated cholesterol;
• Low and high blood sugar levels;
  bowel stagnation;
• Colon cancer and other cancers;
• Diabetes;
• High blood pressure;
• Certain types of heart disease.

Click here to find out how much fibre you need.