Why Fibre is important for us – Before knowing about the importance of fibre in our diet, we first need to know what fibre actually is. Fibre is the indigestible parts of plant foods, like vegetables, fruits, grains, and beans. It is type of a carbohydrate that helps keep our digestive system healthy.
Types of fibre in food
Fibres are categorized in two parts and we need to eat both in our daily diets.
Soluble fibre – These fibres are found mainly in plant cells and plays a very important role to lower cholesterol levels. You can get soluble fibre from fruits, vegetables, oat bran, barley, seed husks, flaxseed, dried beans, peas, and soy products.
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Insoluble fiber – Insoluble fiber plays a major role to add bulk to feces and to prevent constipation related problems such as hemorrhoids. Good sources of insoluble fiber include wheat bran, corn bran, rice bran, the skins of fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried beans, and wholegrain foods.
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Why Fibre is important for us – Benefits of fibre
Helps our digestive system
The main benefit of fibre in our body is to aid the digestive system. Ensure that you take enough dietary fibre in your diet to maintain smooth bowel movements and thereby reducing the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases.
Helps in weight management
Foods that are high in fibre generally makes the body feel fuller. You will not feel hungry frequently, meaning you will eat less over the course of the day.
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Maintains blood cholesterol level
Foods that are high in fibre helps in stabilizing blood sugar levels and also maintain cholesterol levels. It can help lower the total blood cholesterol level by lowering the bad cholesterol levels. Fibre can also have a number of health benefits in reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
According to the NHS, one should intake 18g per day as a minimum and 30g per day as a maximum.
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Adding Fiber to your family’s diet
To make a healthy diet for your family, you need to include the following foods. Food items that are rich in fibre are:
- Fruits such as berries, pears, melon and oranges. Eating fruit is much healthier than drinking juice as it does not contain fiber.
- Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, potatoes with skin and sweetcorn.
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- Peas, beans and pulses, nuts and seeds are good source of fibre and protein.
- Brown rice has the husk which is the fiber and therefore the color of brown rice is brown.
- Wholegrain breakfast cereals, whole-wheat pasta, wholegrain bread and oats, barley and rye.
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