Most of us know that we need to eat more protein, that processed foods are bad for us, and that we should avoid excessive sugar intake, but when it comes to what constitutes a healthy diet fiber is often mentioned in passing.
Eating a high-fiber diet is key to maintaining fitness, and it has also been found to improve the beneficial bacteria that live in our gut, reducing the risk of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Fiber also helps lower cholesterol and balance blood sugar levels.
Nutritionist Laura Southern tells The Times: “The huge popularity of high-protein, low-carb diets in recent years means that fiber is often forgotten and less popular than it deserves. It is essential to our health.”
Getting into the habit of eating more fiber is easier than you might think, and it can pay off surprisingly quickly. “Clients are always surprised at how quickly a high-fiber diet works,” Southern says. “I often see a reduction in body fat, better blood sugar control and digestive health in just two weeks.”
Here’s everything you need to know about fiber and how to increase your intake.
Different types of fibers have diverse functions
Fiber is found in parts of plants that are not digested by the small intestine. Instead, it is broken down completely or partially by bacteria in the large intestine.
There are several types, but the two main types are insoluble fiber – or “coarse fiber” – which passes directly through our bodies, bulking up stool and aiding in digestion. Good sources are nuts, vegetables, and whole grains such as brown rice and flour.
The second type is soluble fiber, which is found in oats, beans, and legumes. It dissolves in water in the stomach and intestines to form a gel, which prevents constipation. This type has been associated with lowering cholesterol and improving blood sugar balance and satiety. Fiber can delay stomach emptying, making you feel full longer. Most high-fiber foods contain a combination of these two types of fiber.
If you decide to start eating larger amounts of fiber, gradually increase the amount so that you do not feel bloated.
Food for beneficial microbes
Since most carbohydrates, proteins and fats are absorbed into the bloodstream before they reach the large intestine, fiber provides essential food for the beneficial microbes that live there. “These microbes release waste products known as short-chain fatty acids as they feed on fiber,” Southern says.
Short-chain fatty acids not only support our digestive system, but also support the lining of the large intestine, reducing inflammation in the intestines.
Fiber is key to losing weight and controlling blood sugar levels
Food rich in fiber moves more slowly through the digestive system, and this makes our body extract sugar from it at a slower rate, which prevents sugar from rising in the blood significantly, and it also reduces the urge to eat.
Fiber reduces cholesterol
Soluble fiber can reduce the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the “bad” type of cholesterol that can lead to atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of heart disease — absorbed into the bloodstream. Meanwhile, short-chain fatty acids reduce cholesterol production in the liver.
Steps and tips to increase fiber in our food:
1- Stop peeling fruits and vegetables
One of the easiest ways to increase your fiber intake is to leave the skin on as many foods as possible. An apple with the skin contains 4.4 grams of fiber, for example, but only 2.1 grams without it. You can eat more unpeeled food than you might think.
2- Eat your favorite food, but with some improvements
Start eating whole wheat bread. The unrefined foods of many of our staple foods contain 6 or more grams of fiber per 100 grams, and are high-fiber sources, so it’s worth training our taste buds to enjoy them.
For example, whole wheat bread contains 7 grams of fiber per 100 grams compared to white bread, which contains only 2.7 grams.
On the other hand, whole-wheat pasta contains 6 grams of fiber per 150 grams cooked (white pasta contains 2.7 grams).
If you eat white pasta, try refrigerating and reheating it, which turns it into resistant starch, which is now classified as a type of fiber that is fermented in the large intestine and linked to lower cholesterol and balanced blood sugar.
3- Make vegetables the focus of your dinner
Adding legumes to your meal doesn’t have to be complicated. “Chop whatever onions and garlic you have, fry until soft, add the tomatoes, and simmer for 20 minutes,” Southern says.
4- Eat a snack of popcorn and dark chocolate
Popcorn contains 4.3 grams of fiber per 30-gram serving. High-quality dark chocolate contains 3.9 grams of fiber per 30-gram serving.
Dates are another sweet option, as they contain 3 grams of fiber per 40 grams. Dates are a strategic and delicious choice, especially when paired with fiber-rich nuts.
Ten foods rich in fiber:
The UK’s National Health Service recommends eating 30 grams of fiber daily. Here’s a song rich in fiber:
- Lentils: One handful of raw lentils (35 grams) contains 11 grams.
- Dried peas: One handful of raw dried peas (35 grams) contains 9 grams.
- Red beans: One handful of raw red beans (35 grams) contains 9 grams.
- Whole wheat pasta (uncooked): One serving (56 grams) contains 6.2 grams.
- Bran flakes: One serving (30 grams) contains 5.1 grams.
- Pears: One medium-sized pear contains 5.5 grams.
- Apples: A medium-sized apple contains 4.5 grams.
- Almonds: 28 grams, about 23 grains, containing 3.5 grams.
- Peas: One handful of raw peas (35 grams) contains two grams.
- Berries: One handful, about 15 berries, contains two grams.