Friday, January 9, 2015

Let’s talk about...Fibre

Dietary fibre, also known as roughage or bulk, includes all parts of plant foods that your body cannot digest or absorb.

Dietary fibre has many different functions and activities, such as delaying or increasing the speed of food moving through the gastrointestinal system or influencing the microbial activity in the large intestine.

The functions and activities of dietary fibre depend on physical and chemical properties of dietary fibre, which include solubility, fermentability, viscosity and waterholding capacity.

Dietary sources of fibre include fruits and vegetables, beans, peas and other legumes, as well as nuts, seeds and whole-grains products like oats and brown rice.

Fibre promotes a sense of overall well-being by maintaining healthy digestion, promoting regularity, improving nutrient absorption and supporting the growth of friendly bacteria in the colon.

The recommended dosage of dietary fiber is 25g for women and 38g for men. However, the average
American consumes only 14g of dietary fibre daily, well below the recommended dosage.

When reading the label, keep in mind “good source” means at least 3g of fibre per serving, while “excellent source” means at least 5g of fibre per serving.

Meeting the daily recommended intake of fibre can best be achieved by eating a variety of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Other foods and dietary supplements that contain fibre can also be a healthy way to achieve the daily amount.

Key Facts
• Essential to human diet
• Indigestible parts of plant foods
• Recommended daily intake is 25g to 38g
• Fibre content of food may change when processed, so eat fresh foods whenever possible and eat the peel

Key Benefits
• Promotes a sense of overall well-being by maintaining healthy digestion
• Promotes regularity
• Improves nutrient absorption
• Supports the growth of friendly bacteria in the colon

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