A FOCUS ON FIBRE

Fibre should be in every diet

Our third article in our mini-nutrition series discusses fibre. Look for any sensible diet advice and it will come as no surprise that a high amount of fibre is highly recommended. There are countless benefits to high fibre-intake, including (but by no means limited to) key weight-loss aid, helps control cholesterol levels and can reduce chance of heart disease. It’s basically a miracle worker!

So, what does fibre do?

High fibre foods take much longer to chew than other forms of food; this alone significantly slows down the rate at which we eat food, making you feel full sooner. It can take up to 20 seconds for the body to recognise it is full and high fibre foods provide this opportunity, preventing overeating and consequently avoiding excessive weight gain.

Once fibre reaches the stomach it mixes with other foods and minerals to slow down the process of nutrients being absorbed into the blood stream. It also aids in slowing down the absorption of sugar into the body.

Raspberries are one of the many items of food that contain a large amount of fibre, containing up to 8 grams of it! What makes fibre so important is that it clears through your digestion system, removing waste that could cause irritation.

Top five foods that contain high amounts of fibre are:

1.      Bran

2.      Nuts

3.      Dried herbs and spices

4.      Sun-dried tomatoes

5.      Passion fruit

Increasing your intake of fibre is known to aid digestions and encourage healthy weight loss as identified above, so why would you not want to stock your cupboards high with high fibre products? For many years, dieticians have advised that the population is not in taking enough fibre and increasing your intake can have profound positive effects.

At Fitness Matters we offer diet and nutrition advice on a one-to-one basis, offering you a tailor-made plan so that you can achieve what you want. Call 07894 115 699 to arrange your consultation, today!