Fibre. You might have heard of it before but have never really known what it is, what it does or where it comes from. Well in this post, I’m going to explain it all and hopefully encourage you to eat a bit more of it.
Fibre is a carbohydrate. However, it is only found in plant foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts. There is no fibre in meat, dairy, eggs or processed grains. The funny thing about fibre is that we as humans can’t actually digest it but yet it’s vital in our diet. Confused? Keep reading.
So now that we’ve established what fibre is, let’s talk about why we need it. While we can’t digest fibre, it plays a very important role in our gut health. Our gut microbiome (the amazing little guys from before) absolutely love it. It is they who break down the fibre we eat. This helps to keep them healthy as well as producing a range of beneficial things for us. Fibre also reinforces our immune system, contributes to regular bowel movements and prevents a range of various diseases including colon cancer, heart disease and diabetes. It latches itself onto harmful substances such as cholesterol and stops it from entering our bloodstream.
So, if it’s that important, how come so many of us don’t really know a lot about it? Well, that’s a good question. Did you know that the recommended daily amount of fibre for an adult is 30g. Most adults are only getting between 50-60% of that. Over the next few weeks I am going to share more ways in which you can add more fibre to your diet and improve your overall gut health.
The Picky Veggie 