Day 8

Let's talk Fibre

I know it's not the sexiest thing in the world to talk about, but major studies are investigating how much fibre we really need to be eating and have found there are huge health benefits.

It's well known for stopping constipation, but its health benefits are much broader than that.

The fact that fibre is healthy should not come as a surprise to us, BUT there is concern that recently people are turning their back on fibre due to the popularity of low-carb diets. (ugh..diet culture) It’s easy to get caught up in counting calories and grams of added sugars, fats, proteins, etc when you’re trying to eat well. But there’s one nutrient that too often gets thrown to the wayside and that is our dietary fibre.

As adults (in North America) we are only eating an average of 15 grams of fibre on any given day, despite the daily recommendations by health authorities being:

25 grams for women, or 21 grams if over 50 years old
38 grams for men, or 30 grams if over 50
Many studies have strongly linked high-fibre diets with longer and healthier lives, so why is it vital to our well-being........
Eating adequate amounts of fibre does more than contributing to weight loss and reduces the risk of health concerns.
Losing out on the recommended fibre grams per day may significantly change the way your gut functions. It could even make a difference between weight loss or none.
Almost all fibre is plant-derived and is considered to be a carbohydrate.
Insoluble fibre is found in whole grains and plants such as broccoli.
Soluble fibre is found in oats, beans and citrus fruits and can slow digestion, improve blood cholesterol and slow glucose absorption.

Studies have found that fibre is intimately tied with the importance of gut microbes. Along with making us feel full it also affects the way fat is absorbed in the small intestine. Things really become interesting in the large intestines as this is the home to billions of bacteria and fibre is their food. A diet with adequate fibre literally feeds and makes these bacteria thrive, resulting in a healthier gut and this is one of the key areas we are focusing on during these 30 days. Consider it healthy groceries for your happy and healthy gut flora.

It is well known that dietary fibre promotes a healthy digestive tract, here are some other benefits for you to take note of........

Reduced constipation
Improved regularity
Reduced cholesterol levels
Reduced blood glucose spikes
Increased insulin sensitivity
Increased mineral absorption

Ongoing research confirms that fibre intake is clearly important for longer-term health.

You can start increasing the GutHealth Prebiotic Fibre to aim for the one full scoop in your shake if you haven't done so already.

TOP TIP:

When you are upping your fibre intake, be sure to drink lots of water so your internal plumbing stays working well and doesn't get stuck! FLUSH - Keep up your HYDRATION! If you're having any troubles in that department maybe remove the additional fibre for a few days and be sure that when you add it back in, you use only a quarter of a scoop at most!