What is fibre?
Fibre is important for people of all ages. Most Australians know that fibre is good for you, but in recent years, we've learned more about how important fibre is for maintaining health and well-being.
Fibre
is better known as roughage or bulk and is only found in plant foods.
It is the part of plant foods that our bodies cannot digest.
There
are two main types of dietary fibre; soluble and insoluble. Soluble
fibre is important to maintain a healthy heart, while insoluble fibre
is important for healthy bowels and for keeping you regular.
Irrespective of the different types of fibre, what is important is that
you eat enough to maintain good health.
Fibre - Why do we need it?
A high fibre diet is associated with good health and has several roles to play in the body. Fibre helps you:
1. Stay Regular
2. Maintain digestive health
3. Feel full at meal time and between meals
1.
Staying Regular: Fibre is important for bowel health as it helps
maintain regularity. Eating at least 30g of fibre per day and drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, is key to maintaining regularity.
2.
Helps maintain digestive health: A diet high in fibre can help to
maintain a healthy digestive system. Fibre helps to speed up the
process of waste being removed from the body. It also helps to maintain
the 'friendly' bacteria that are normally present in the bowel that are
important to maintain a healthy digestive system .
3.
Feel fuller at meal time and between meals: Fibre can help keep you
feeling fuller during and after meals. This is because fibre expands in
the stomach, providing a feeling of fullness. So, including fibre rich
meals and snacks can help you feel satisfied and may help maintain a
healthy weight. |